Colchian Homestead
The Oda-house, "Colchian oda-house" is is a prevalent type of folk dwelling in Western Georgia, constituting a significant aspect of Colchian material culture. The term "oda" has been in use since the XVIII century. Typological studies of the oda-house indicate its presence in Colchis from the XII-XIII centuries and possibly earlier. Wooden structures have been documented in Colchis since the Bronze Age.
Before the term "oda" became widespread, the word "palace" was commonly used to refer to residential houses. According to the accounts of the Italian missionary Arcangelo Lamberti, who resided in Samegrelo for an extended period, "palace" was used synonymously with "house." Lamberti noted that not only noblemen but also peasants had palaces.
Greek and Roman authors also remarked on the plentiful forests and the prevalence of wooden buildings in Colchis. References to these are found in the writings of Hippocrates, Xenophon, Apollonius of Rhodes, Vitruvius, Strabo, and others.
In general, the structure of the oda-house is quite simple – an oda-house is a wooden house with a wooden floor and a balcony, the number of rooms varies from one to eight, and the number of balconies is also different. Due to the wind, the house is built on wooden or stone poles, the house is heated by a fireplace. The balcony is the most artistic part of the oda-house, it is mostly transparent, the ornamental decoration uses plant, zoomorphic, astral and geometric decor, which has a symbolic load and echoes of old beliefs and ideas live in it.
In construction of oda-houses such types of wood were used, which could withstand the humid seaside air. Oak, chestnut, elm, and birch were in favour.
The technique of assembling and disassembling the architectural-constructive elements of the oda-house introduced the practice of easily moving it from one place to another.
Many oda-houses have survived in Colchis, they mostly belong to the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century.
Homestead
The ode-house is a type of dwelling designed with artistic consideration within the context of the homestead. It serves as the central feature of the courtyard, around which various agricultural buildings are arranged.
In addition to the ode-house, another functionally important structure was the standalone kitchen. Positioned at the edge of the agricultural yard was the cattle shed, accessible only from the rear, alongside a shed and other auxiliary buildings. Particularly noteworthy was the maize barn, meticulously designed with artistic intent. Throughout Georgia, the wine cellar in Samegrelo, according to Lamberti, was respected akin to a church.
Nowhere in Georgia do courtyards hold as much significance as in Western Georgia, where in Samegrelo, special attention is paid to their arrangement. Locally, a homestead is referred to as "Okhore" in Laz-Mengrelian terms.
Typically, the homestead was enclosed by a wooden fence, with every resident striving to craft the most beautiful possible. As noted by the Italian missionary Arcangelo Lamberti in the XVII century, even the entrance gate from the roadside into the yard was intricately fashioned.
Moreover, in the courtyards of noblemen, small "home churches" were often situated in the most esteemed locations.
