Irma Karaulashvili

Direction:Medieval Studies, Georgian Language and Literature
Position:Associate Professor

Irma Karaulashvili is a Georgian scholar of Ancient Georgian Narrative Sources. She holds Phd (2004, summa cum laude, Best Dissertation award, 2nd place) and MA (1996) degrees from the Department of Medieval Studies, Central European University, Budapest, and an MA degree in Armenian Studies from the Department of Oriental Languages, Tbilisi State University (1992). Dr. Karaulashvili was a recipient of post-doctoral fellowships from the School of Hellenic Studies, Princeton University (2004-2005) and the Foundation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, Paris (2005-2006). She is one of the first recipients of the Georgian Programme stipend sponsored by the Rustaveli Foundation (2016), which allows Georgian scholars to spend an academic year at Oxford University. Since 2008 she has been teaching – with research breaks – at Ilia State University. In 2013 and 2014 she was a visiting lecturer at Université Paul Valery-Montpellier III

Scientific interests / research interests

Narrative Sources, Historiography, History of Literature, Hagiography, Apocrypha

Featured publications

- “Jérusalem selon l’Ancien et le Nouveau Testament dans les récits géorgiens et arméniens portant sur la christianisation.” in: L'Arménie et la Géorgie en dialogue avec l'Europe. Du Moyen Âge à nos jours. Actes du colloque Les relations interrégionales et la question de l’identité. Université Paul Valéry-Montpellier III. Les 27 et 28 septembre 2012 I. Augé, G. Dédéyan, M. Dokhtourichvili, V. Barkhoudarian and I. Karaulashvili, eds. Paris: Geuthner, 2016, 439-491
- “Abgaris Legenda: Tekhsti da Ikonografia”/”Abgar Legend: Text and Iconography.” Kadmosi (Ilia State University Journal of Humanities) 6 (2014): 95-135 (geo)/136-240 (engl)
- István Perczel & Irma Karaulashvili, “History Writing in the Christian East.” in J. Bak and I. Jurković, eds. Chronicon. Medieval Narrative Sources. A chronological guide with introductory essays. Turnhout: Brepols, 2013, 81-96.
- Entry: “Abgar legend,” in: Encyclopedia of Ancient History. Edited by Roger Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige Champion, Andrew Erskine and Sabine Huebner. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012.
- “The Abgar Legend Illustrated: Interrelation of the Narrative Cycles and Iconography in the Byzantine, Georgian and Latin Traditions.” in Interactions: Artistic Interchange between the Eastern and Western Worlds in the Medieval Period. A Colloquium organized by the Index of Christian Art, April 8-9, 2004. ed. Colum Hourihane. Index of Christian Art, Department of Art and Archeology. Princeton & Pensylvania: University Press, 2007, 220-243.
- “King Abgar of Edessa and the Concept of a Ruler Chosen by God,” in Monotheistic Kingship: The Medieval Variants, ed. A. al-Azmeh and J. Bak (Budapest: CEU Department of Medieval Studies & Pasts Incorporated: CEU Studies in the Humanities & Archaeolingua, 2004): 173-190.

Articles in magazinesscholarly journals

- “Abgaris Legendis Teksturi Tradicia da Epthvime Athoneli (Apokrifshi Shemavali Khristes Shvidi Bechedi Akhsna-Ganmartebithurth da Ghvthis Sakhelebis Khristianuli Koncefcia)” [Euthymius Athonite and the Textual Tradition of the Abgar Legend (The So-Called Seven Seals of Christ and Their Explanation as Found in the Epistula Abgari and the Christian Concept of the Divine Names)]. in: Athonis Saghvtismetkvelo-Literaturuli Skola [The Theological and Literary School of Athos]. Ed. M. Elbakidze. Tbilisi: Literature Institute Publishing House, 2013, 147-171.
- “Les caractéristiques de l’identité du premier roi chrétien dans les narrations syriaques, grecques, arméniennes et géorgiennes de l’Antiquité tardive et du début du Moyen Age,” in Mzaro/Mzagve Dokhtourichvili, Gérard Dedeyn and Isabelle Auge, eds. L’Europe et le Caucase. Les relations interrégionales et la question de l’identité. Actes du colloque. Tbilisi: Ilia State University Press, 2012: 56-109; the Georgian version published in: Khristianul-Arkheologiuri Dziebani [Studies in Christian Archaeology] 5 (2012): 334-399.
- “A Short Overview of the Nationalised Peculiarities of the Abgar legend in Georgian, Armenian and Slavonic Traditions.” Scripta & e-Scripta 10-11 (2012): 171-184.
- “Alaverdis Othxthavshi Shemavali Abgaris Epistolis Tsarmomavlobis Sakithxisathvis. Natsili I” [On origins of text of the Epistula Abgari from the Alaverdi Four Gospels. Part I]. Tsakhnagi [Facet. Annual of Philological Studies] 3 (2011): 36-65.

“Ramdenine Sitkva Iustinianes, Edesis Tsminda Sofiis Tadzris, Kristianuli Sionisa da Ethiopiuri Khristianobis Shesaxeb” [Several Notes about Justinian, the Church of Hagia Sophia at Edessa, Christian Sion and Ethiopean Christianity]. Khristianul-Arkheologiuri Dziebani [Studies in Christian Archaeology] 3(2010): 662-695.

“Edesis Mandilioni da Hierapolisis Keramidioni Asurel Mamatha Tskhovrebis Udzveles Redkhtsishi“ [Mandylion of Edessa and Keramidion of Hierapolis in the Ancient Redaction of the Lives of Thirteen Syrian Fathers]. Sakharthvelos Sidzveleni [Georgian Antiquities] 14 (2010): 54-73.
“Edesis Mefe Abgari da Uflis Mier Rcheuli Mmartvelis Kristianuli Ideis Chamokalibeba” [King Abgar of Edessa and the Formation of the Christian Idea of a Ruler Chosen by God], revised version. Tsakhnagi [Facet. Annual of Philological Studies] 2 (2010): 157-188.
“anCisxati: keramidioni hierapolisidan Tu mandilioni edesidan.”MmravalTavi 20 (2003): 170-178.

“The Date of the Epistula Abgari.” Apocrypha 13 (2002): 85-111.

Current Courses

Georgian Literature in XII-XVIII Centuries; Old Georgian Narrative Sources; Ancient Georgian Ecclesiastic Writing; Seminar Source Study (Interdisciplinary) II

Bachelor's Thesis (Literary Studies); Georgian Literature in XII-XVIII Centuries; Paradigmatic History of Georgian Literature; Ancient Georgian Ecclesiastic Writing; Seminar Source Study (Interdisciplinary) I

Course Catalog

Ancient Georgian Ecclesiastical Literature; BA level, taught from 2010(fall semester)
Georgian Literature during the 12th-18th cc; BA level, taught from 2012 (spring semester)
Introduction to Narrative Sources; BA level, taught from 2013 (spring sememster)
History of Ancient Georgian Literature (BA Level, 2009, spring sememster)
Apocrypha - Hidden and Forbidden; MA level, taught from 2010 (spring semester)
Ancient Armenian I; MA level, taught from 2013 (spring semester)
Ancient Armenian II; MA level, taught from 2013 (fall semester)
Research Methods in Philology, MA level, taught from 2011 till 2013 (spring sememster)