Zakaraya, P. Ancient Fortresses of Georgia (Drevniye kreposti Gruzii), 1969. In Russian.

Пармен Закарая. Древние крепости Грузии.
Тбилиси: Мерани, 1969.
290 с., ил. Энциклопедический формат. Тираж 3000 экз. Твердый коленкоровый переплет в суперобложке.
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Parmen Zakaraya. Ancient Fortresses of Georgia (Drevniye kreposti Gruzii).
Tbilisi: Merani, 1969.
290 pp., illus. Encyclopedic format. Edition of 3000 copies. Hardcover in dust jacket.

This 1969 scholarly work by the preeminent expert on Caucasian fortifications, Parmen Zakaraya, is a foundational study of ancient Georgian military architecture. The text provides a deep dive into the internal logic of defensive systems, including the arrangement of detailed analyses on a wide variety of structures—from early antiquity to the late Middle Ages. Based on extensive field research, the book focuses on the monuments of the central historical region of Kartli while providing significant comparative material that establishes a comprehensive overview of fortress construction across the entire territory of Georgia. Zakaraya systematically categorizes and examines various types of fortifications, including fortress-cities, castles, enclosure walls, and natural defensive positions, blending historical context with rigorous formal and artistic analysis.  As a vital primary source, this volume documents the mid-century archaeological and architectural understanding of Georgian heritage, featuring 44 black-and-white illustrations that capture the state of these monuments in the 1960s. Published in an impressive encyclopedic format by the "Merani" publishing house with a limited run of 3,000 copies, this edition is a significant bibliographical rarity for medievalists, military historians, and collectors of Caucasian academic literature.