The Ministry of Culture of Georgia a new international study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences identifies Georgia as an independent and one of the oldest documented centers of origin for bread wheat (Triticum aestivum).
The research is based on multidisciplinary work led by academician David Lordkipanidze and draws on archaeological findings from the Neolithic sites of Gadachrili Gora and Shulaveris Gora. These sites have yielded material dating back approximately 8,000 years.
Radiocarbon dating conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science confirmed that the discovered remains represent the earliest known physical evidence of bread wheat identified to date. The study also incorporates extensive research by paleoethnobotanist Nana Rusishvili.
The findings suggest that the South Caucasus, and Georgia in particular, played a significant role in the domestication and early expansion of wheat, contributing to a broader understanding of agricultural origins.
The research was conducted through international collaboration involving Georgian and foreign scientists, including Mindia Jalabadze, Inga Martkoplishvili, Marine Mosulishvili, Nana Meladze, Davit Maghradze, Elisabetta Boaretto and Stephen Batiuk.
The ministry stated that the project was carried out with support from the National Wine Agency of Georgia, the University of Toronto, the Weizmann Institute, and the Society Iveria, a broader initiative focused on research and promotion of Georgian viticulture and agriculture.
A public presentation of the study’s findings will be held on May 1 at the Georgian National Museum.
