Aggripina Djaparidze, Countess of Zarnekau

What people wore

Tbilisi Women's Traditional Daily Wear

In 19th-century Tbilisi, women wore a long shirt (perangi) and ankle-length trousers (sheidishi), often embellished with gold threads or silk embroidery, topped with dresses and intricate, veil-covered headwear. Wealthy women wore a knee-length velvet or silk outer garment called a katibi, which was trimmed with fur and fastened with precious gold or silver hooks.

Getting around

Road travel by arba cart

Travellers often used the arba, a clattering and cumbersome cart well-suited for rugged, mountainous terrain. A journey might be interrupted by broken-down carriages or poor roads, forcing travelers to walk or seek alternative transport.

At the table

Wine consumption in Georgia

Georgians were famously heavy wine drinkers; a laborer's daily allowance was four bottles, and the best wine cost about four cents a bottle.

Music

Music in Noble Households

In noble households, young servants were trained to sing Mingrelian songs elegantly while attending guests during great feasts. These servants followed a strict daily routine, starting and ending their day by attending church services.

Daily life

Traditional Housing and Cooking Methods

Peasant houses were often simple structures with walls made of clay and cowdung or tree trunks, featuring a central hearth for cooking and a hole in the roof for smoke to escape. In Tbilisi, traditional 'darbazi' houses consisted of one large room with a dirt floor, which was watered in summer for cooling and covered with carpets or felt in winter.

What it cost

Laborer and craftsman daily wages

In the Transcaucasus region during the mid-19th century, daily wages for laborers typically started at 15 to 20 kopecks in silver, while skilled craftsmen earned up to one silver ruble per day.