Publications created within the framework of the Horizon Europe ARACNE project

In the framework of Horizon Europe ARACNE project, for the historical research The State Silk Museum collaborated with local historians and has issued two new scholarly publications examining the historical development of sericulture in the Caucasus and Georgia’s role within trans-Eurasian exchange networks.

The new publications — The Caucasian Sericulture Station: Its Foundation and Historical Significance by Emil Avdaliani and The Silk Road in Georgia by Besik Lortkipanidze and Nikoloz Murghulia — contribute to ongoing research on the region’s historical, scientific, and cultural history.

Emil Avdaliani’s historical research “The Caucasian Sericulture Station: Its Foundation and Historical Significance” presents a detailed account of the establishment of the Caucasian Sericulture Station in the late 19th century. Drawing on archival materials, it outlines the institutional mechanisms created to support silk production and to introduce scientific approaches to sericulture across the region. The publication examines how the Station functioned as a research and training center and how its activities shaped sericulture practices in Georgia and neighboring territories.

Joint research by historians Besik Lortkipanidze and Nikoloz Murghulia “The Silk Road in Georgia”, investigates Georgia’s historical links to the Great Silk Road. Based on historical and archaeological sources, the authors analyze the routes, commercial exchanges, and cultural interactions that connected Georgian lands with the wider transcontinental networks. The publication provides an overview of Georgia’s position within these systems and presents current interpretations of its role in the Great Silk Road studies.

Both works are available in Georgian and English, expanding access for researchers and wider audiences. The publications reflect the State Silk Museum’s continued engagement with interdisciplinary research on sericulture heritage, regional history, and the circulation of knowledge and material culture.In the framework of Horizon Europe ARACNE project, for the historical research The State Silk Museum collaborated with local historians and has issued two new scholarly publications examining the historical development of sericulture in the Caucasus and Georgia’s role within trans-Eurasian exchange networks.