“The Knight in the Panther's Skin” — manuscript

Shota Rustaveli's epic poem, composed at Queen Tamar's court, is the summit of medieval Georgian literature. (The poem text is not reproduced here — this is the manuscript's archival description.)

Shota Rustaveli's «The Knight in the Panther's Skin» was composed around the turn of the 12th–13th centuries at Queen Tamar's court and is regarded as the summit of medieval Georgian poetry.

The poem of more than 1,600 stanzas celebrates friendship, love and chivalric honour; its heroes are Tariel, Avtandil, Pridon and Nestan-Darejan.

The oldest complete manuscripts date from the 17th century and are richly illuminated; the first printed edition was issued in 1712 by King Vakhtang VI. The manuscripts are kept at the National Centre of Manuscripts.