Meanwhile, we continue to receive information from archives and libraries in France.

Temirkhanova Fatima, a member of the ASM Group team based in Paris, translated an excerpt from Julius Claprot’s Journey to the Caucasus and Georgia in 1807-1808 , which is stored in the National Library of France.

The building of which the author speaks, without mentioning the name, is nothing but the temple of Thaba-Yerda:

The length of this building, partially destroyed, is twenty-three feet, the width is seven, the height is fifteen.

... Above the main entrance are shapeless figures in the floor relief: they depict a man sitting on a chair. From the clouds above him comes a hand holding a scroll, and to his left another man holds a cross with his left hand and a sword with his right. The other, on the right side, carries grapes on his shoulders. On the sides and corners of the cornice, the heads of angels are visible.

... Near the eastern facade there are stone arches; they are said to communicate with underground passages where books and church utensils are kept.

Julius Klaprot is a German Orientalist, traveler and polyglot. Professor of Asian Languages and Literature, member of the Council of the Asian Society in Paris.

The project partners are SAFMAR and Revival Charitable Foundations.