menu
David Lordkipanidze

David
Lordkipanidze

Archaeologist

Professor David Lordkipanidze (დავით ლორდქიფანიძე) is the first General Director of The Georgian National Museum, an organization that unifies major museums and research institutions of the country. Since 2015, under his leadership the Museum has gradually been transforming from a Soviet-type institution into a vibrant space for culture, education and science. Eight Museums have already been renovated, and two of them – The Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography and The Bolnisi Museum  – were nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) in 2016 and in 2022 respectively.

Professor Lordkipanidze’s professional activities are linked to Dmanisi, the world renowned archaeological site. He has authored over 120 scientific articles that were published in widely respected and well-known scientific journals such as Nature, Science Magazine, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, and The Journal of Human Evolution among others. 

Prof. Lordkipanidze has received numerous awards and memberships for his groundbreaking discoveries and leadership, among which it is worth mentioning that he is a Member of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences; Member of the Academy of Europe (Academia Europaea); and Foreign Associate Member of the US National Academy of Sciences. 



David Lordkipanidze's articles

SVANETI MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ETHNOGRAPHY
David Lordkipanidze · September 29, 2025

SVANETI MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ETHNOGRAPHY

Georgia’s geographical location has long positioned it as a natural crossroad of civilizations. Despite centuries of external influences, the country has managed to preserve its cultural identity. Today, as Georgia tries to re-establish itself on the world map, our goal—alongside developing common values and participating in global processes—is to safeguard and celebrate that identity. I believe Svaneti and its renovated museum play an important role in this endeavor.

Museum: A Bridge between the Past and the Future
David Lordkipanidze · May 7, 2025

Museum: A Bridge between the Past and the Future

In the old Georgian language, Vani implies a residence, dwelling, or monastery. As a name signifying a location in Imereti, it first appeared in recorded data in the 1870s. This is how the "Vani Gospels" inscription, as well as the descriptions of the German traveler Guldenstedt, refer to the village, which is now known as "Upper Vani" and is famous for the Archangel Church erected during the 11th and 12th centuries. According to Vakhushti Bagrationi, an 18th-century Georgian historian and geographer, Vani was known as "Sachino."

DMANISI
David Lordkipanidze · April 11, 2023

DMANISI

The village of Dmanisi lies some 85 kilometers south-west of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. In the Middle Ages, Dmanisi was one of the most prominent cities and an important stop on the Silk Road. The area has therefore long intrigued archaeologists, who have been excavating the crumbling ruins of a medieval citadel there since the 1930s.

DISCOVER THE TREASURES OF GEORGIA
David Lordkipanidze · April 25, 2021

DISCOVER THE TREASURES OF GEORGIA

The Georgian National Museum is a scientific cultural institution unifying the country’s major museums, archeological sites, research centers, etc. It has inherited its institutional traditions from the first museum in Georgia, which was founded in the 19th century.