MURJAKHETI STELA: PRE-CHRISTIAN FERTILITY CULT AND FUNCTIONAL-SEMANTIC TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE ETHNOCULTURAL SPACE OF JAVAKHETI

Abstract

Abstract. This paper provides a comprehensive ethnographic and semantic analysis of the pre-Christian monolithic stela located in the village of Murjakheti, Akhalkalaki municipality, within the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. The study aims to conceptualize the monument's semantic essence, decode the cosmogonic symbolism of its relief carvings, and reconstruct the magical-ritual practices associated with it. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, the research synthesizes primary field ethnographic data collected by the author, archival documents, and historical-comparative analysis. The paper evaluates the two prevailing academic hypotheses regarding the monument—classifying it either as a megalithic “veshapoid” (dragon-stone) or as a relic of a phallic cult—and argues for their potential syncretic integration over time. Particular emphasis is placed on the structural analysis of ritual cycles performed for curing infertility and lactation issues, which heavily feature elements of sympathetic magic and chthonic cults. The findings demonstrate that the Murjakheti stela, functioning as a vital regional sacred center, underwent a multi-layered functional-semantic transformation. The ancient pre-Christian semantics organically merged with later Christian folk narratives and, from the 19th century onwards, successfully integrated into the socio-religious reality of the newly migrated Armenian population.

Keywords: Murjakheti stela, Javakheti, megalithic culture, fertility magic, phallic cult, ethnocultural transformation, field ethnography.