Levan Maruashvili

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Levan Maruashvili
professor Levan Maruashvili
Born25 October 1912
Novocherkassk, Don Host Oblast, Russian Empire
Died5 December 1992 (1992-12-06) (aged 80)
Tbilisi, Georgia
NationalityGeorgia
CitizenshipSoviet
Alma materTbilisi State University
AwardsNikolay Przhevalsky Gold Medal
Vakhushti Bagrationi Prize
State Prize of Georgia
Scientific career
FieldsGeography
Geomorphology
InstitutionsVakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography

Levan Iosifovich Maruashvili (

Doctor of Geographical Sciences (1954), professor (1965).[1] Honored Scientist of the Georgian SSR (1966) and Abkhaz ASSR.[2] Honorary member of the Russian Geographical Society (1985). He introduced a new concept of Karstosphere into the science.[3] Krubera Cave, which is the world’s deepest known cave (2,197 m (7,208 feet)), was discovered by the Georgian researchers in 1960 by the leadership of Professor Levan Maruashvili.[4]

Biography

Levan Maruashvili was born on 25 October 1912 in the town of

Kutaisi Pedagogical Institute as an assistant at the Geographical Department.[7]

In 1941, when the

Great Patriotic War broke out, he joined the field forces. After graduation from the accelerated courses of Kharkov Commissariat Academy, Levan Maruashvili took part in the battle by the city of Stalingrad defending the ways leading to the Caucasus. From 1943 to 1946, he was in "Stepsgeo" team fighting in high-mountains of the Caucasus and participated in military geographical expeditions in South Georgia. Being demobilized from the army in 1946, in a very short time, he got ready his dissertation - "Karst of fragmental rock, its geomorphological characteristics in the light of general karstology, Central Megrelia as an example (Western Georgia)" and successfully defended his master's degree in 1947.[7][5]

Since 1947, Levan Maruashvili worked as an assistant professor at

Kutaisi Pedagogical Institute, and from 1949 to 1953, took over the Department of Geography at Sokhumi Pedagogical Institute.[6] In 1952, after defending his Doctor's degree on the subject "South-Georgian volcanic upland (structure, relief, historical development)", he made a great contribution to the study of volcanic areas of Alpine-Mediterranean belt, which has not lost its significance up till now.[7][5]

In 1953, he began working at the

karstology and speleology, history of geographical discoveries et al. In his young years he was fond of mountaineering and conquered tens of peaks and high mountain passes.[7][5]

Scientific activities

He produced over 500 scientific and popular scientific works in Georgian and Russian languages, among then there are 30 monographs and booklets.[8][6] The results of his numerous research fields - works in the territory of Georgia and other regions of the Caucasus and the Pamirs are given in these works.[7]

Since 1936, Levan Maruashvili began publishing a series of vivid scientific articles in popular natural scientific journal of Russia the "

Karstology and speleology, History of geographical knowledge and travels, Rustvelology and Mountaineering.[7]

In 1975 and 1980, for the first time there was published in Georgian a three-volume work entitled "Physical Geography of the Caucasus". He introduced a new concept of

karst-sphere into the science.[6] These and other points were elucidated in the text-book - "Basic of Cave Study: General Speleology" (1973), based on the author's direct observations and analysis of scientific literature. Being the editor in chief Levan Maruashvili took over organization of all field works connected with the fundamental work entitled "Study of Kolkhida Caves" (1978). In 1982 for active participation in producing the "Red Book of Georgia"[9] he was awarded the state Prize of the Georgian SSR.[7]

Awards

Levan Maruashvili was awarded of the Nikolay Przhevalsky Gold Medal (1972)[10] and the Vakhushti Bagrationi Prize (1977).[6] In 1985, he was awarded the state Prize of the Georgian SSR.[1][6]

Works

  • Physical Geography of Georgia, two volumes, (1969-1970);
  • Physical Geography of the Caucasus, three volumes, (1975-1986);
  • Basic of Cave Study: General Speleology (1973);
  • The Paleogeographical Dictionary (1985);
  • Geomorphology of Georgia (1971);
  • Georgia in Anthropogene (1991).

References

  1. ^ a b Encyclopedia TBILISI, Was edited by I. Abashidze Chief Editorial Board of Georgian Encyclopedia in 2002.
  2. ^ Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia, Volume 6, p. 462, Tbilisi, 1983
  3. ^ G. A. Maximovich, V. N. Bykov, Karst of Carbonate Oil and Gas-Bearing Series
  4. ^ Discovery and Management of Georgian Caves
  5. ^ a b c d Geomorphology, Russian Academy of Sciences, October–December, № 4 - 2002, pp. 121.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Koba Kharadze, The unrivalled authority on nature study: Levan Maruashvili, Tbilisi, 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Levan Maruashvili (1912-1992). Compiler Zh. Ivanishvili-Maruashvili, editor Z. Tatashidze, N. Pirtskhalava. Tbilisi, Metsniereba, 2002.
  8. ^ Electronic Archive of Georgian Press
  9. ^ Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography
  10. ^ перечень награждённых знаками отличия Русского Географического Общества (1845-2012)
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