In ancient times, one of the important cities of the ancient Kolkheti kingdom was located here, which flourished in BC. year In the III-I centuries. The urban type of settlement in Van developed on the basis of the ancient settlements, the remains of which are now in abundance in Van and its surrounding area (Kechinara, Kyshesulori, Gora, Bagineti, Inashauri, Sulor, Dzulukh, Bugnara, Bzvani), as well as in its east (Fersati, Zekar, Baghdati). ). The oldest archeological material found in Vani Nakalakar is from BC. year It dates back to the VIII-VI centuries and is represented by ceramic fragments.

The ancient settlement of Vani is located in St. on a hill near Van and covers an area of about 8.5 hectares. There is a prevailing situation around the mentioned hill. The plain of Rion, the city of Kutaisi and the Caucasus mountains can be clearly seen from here. From here the great trade route passing through the Van could also be traced to the right, which led from India to the Caspian Sea, and then through Transcaucasia to the Black Sea. There were not only transport roads here, but also those leading from southern Georgia, namely from Meskheti to Guria.

During the period of the city of Van, 2 main stages are distinguished:

BC year VI-IV centuries.
BC year The beginning of the 3rd century – BC. year Middle years of the 1st century.

The first phase is represented by wooden religious and residential buildings, altars carved into the rocky bedrock, cultural layers containing a variety of ceramic materials and luxurious burials (diadems decorated with carved images, colorful earrings and pendants decorated with tsvara, bracelets with sculptural images of animals, bowls, heraldic images, necklaces, etc.), Also silver jewelry, bronze and clay dishes. Imported clay (black-figured, red-figured, black-spotted) and metal vessels (patera, oinochoia, kilikibi, arybalos) found in burials and cultural layers testify to the lively trade-economic and cultural relationship with the Greek world. At that time (VI-IV centuries BC) Van was the center of one of the political-administrative units (skeptukhia) of the Kingdom of Colchis and the residence of the ruling elite.

BC year A new stage in the history of the old city of Van begins in the 3rd century. It becomes a great temple center. This period belongs to the excavations of BC. year The 3rd century enclosure wall, the architectural complex of the gate, the buttressed structure, the round temple, the seven-tiered altar and other religious and public buildings, during the excavation of which a monumental lion head sculpture, sanctuaries, a column head decorated with high-relief images of the goddess, a small terracotta and bronze statue and Masks, as well as local and Greek ceramics. The old city was destroyed in BC. year In the middle of the 1st century.

Van, as a potential source of the greatest archaeological discoveries, was paid attention to in the 19th century. In 1847-1848, the French Georgian academic Marie Brosse traveled to Georgia and the Caucasus. While in Kutaisi, the honored guest was served a statue of a man’s head, which was found in one of Sachino’s graves (the location of the statue is currently unknown). According to the description of Marie Brosse, the statue was: “Bust of a man to the beginning of the shoulders, hairy and bearded, with a large eagle’s nose and a sardonic laugh” [6]. And in 1876, the Georgian newspaper “Droeba” wrote: “It will not rain here so much that the torrent does not bring gold, sometimes gold bars, sometimes rings, sometimes what and sometimes what substance from the hill… There must be great wealth on this hill… It was after this article that Ekvtime Takaishvili became interested in Van and in 1896 he started the first archaeological excavations, which took on a systematic character from 1947.

The ruins of the late medieval castle are preserved in the territory of Van: “Sachino” castle on the Hill of Peace and the second “Sebeka” castle on the high hill near the hospital, there are also the ruins of a small church of the Chijavadze gate church.