Construction work along Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi has brought more than asphalt and utilities to the surface. The Movement for Cultural Heritage said crews uncovered brick masonry on the stretch between the Freedom Square metro station and the Georgian National Museum during ongoing rehabilitation of the avenue.
According to the organization, the exposed brickwork is part of a 19th-century drainage collector system connected to the historic Garetubani district, an outer quarter of the city. The group also reported the discovery of numerous ceramic vessels dated to the 10th and 11th centuries.
The Movement for Cultural Heritage said work on the affected section was suspended after the finds. In its statement, the organization asked what investigation will follow and called for strict compliance with Georgia’s Law on Cultural Heritage, including required archaeological supervision during rehabilitation work. The group also said the identity of the specialists responsible for archaeological oversight has not been disclosed publicly.
Tbilisi City Hall responded that information about the uncovered layers and artifacts was immediately shared with the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation. The city said agency specialists conducted an on-site inspection and issued recommendations, and that work will continue in line with those recommendations.
For the construction industry, the discovery is a reminder that infrastructure and streetscape projects in historic corridors can intersect directly with older brickwork and buried cultural materials. When that happens, work sequencing and site protection quickly become part of the conversation, right alongside the legal steps needed to document and preserve what was found.
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