Memorandum of UnderstandingPartnership with the Georgian National Centre of Manuscripts Extended

12 November 2025

Photo: Korneli Kekelidze Georgian National Centre of Manuscripts

Reading Hall of the National Centre of Manuscripts

Together with the Centre, the CSMC is researching Georgia’s vast manuscript heritage. Both institutions have now formally concluded an agreement to prolong their collaboration.

This collaboration focuses on utilising multispectral imaging techniques to uncover concealed texts within palimpsest manuscripts, complemented by the analysis of inks and writing materials carried out by the CSMC’s Artefact Lab. Additionally, efforts are underway to apply radiocarbon dating to determine the age of undated manuscripts. The members of the DeLiCaTe project (The Development of Literacy in the Caucasian Territories) serve as the key collaborators at the CSMC.

The Korneli Kekelidze Georgian National Centre of Manuscripts, located in Tbilisi, Georgia, is a distinguished institution dedicated to the preservation, study, and promotion of Georgia’s manuscript heritage. Established in honor of Georgian scholar Korneli Kekelidze, the centre houses an extensive collection of approximately 170,000 items, including medieval and modern manuscripts. These rare and invaluable writings that reflect Georgia’s cultural and religious history. As a leading research institution, it collaborates with international organisations to conserve and digitise manuscripts, making them accessible to scholars and the public worldwide. The centre also plays a vital role in promoting Georgian literary and historical studies and fostering academic exchange.