A remarkable Georgian enlightener of the late feudal period, Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani was born in 1658 in the village of Tandzia. His father, Vakhtang Orbeliani, served as the secretary of the King of Kartli, and his mother, Tamar, was the daughter of Zaal, Eristavi of Aragvi, who ruled over the mountainous region of Kartli. Sulkhan spent his childhood in Tandzia, where he was raised with his brothers. Later, he lived mainly in Dmanisi. From childhood, Sulkhan was particularly close to the sons of King Vakhtang V Shahnavaz (r. 1658-1675), especially Giorgi (the future King Giorgi XI of Kartli).

In 2001, an exceptionally valuable Georgian artefact, which had been considered lost since 1991, unexpectedly appeared at a Christie’s auction in Geneva. This outstanding ivory work, known as the Okoni Triptych Icon, had disappeared from the Tskhinvali Museum. At that time, Georgian jurisdiction no longer extended over the territory, and the loss was not officially reported by the museum.

Melaani is a village in the Gurjaani Municipality of Kakheti Province. Its history spans centuries, as evidenced by archaeological finds dating back to the late Bronze and Iron Ages.