FOREIGN EXPLOITATION OF GEORGIA’S NATURAL RESOURCES — TIMBER AND MANGANESE (LATE 19TH CENTURY): HISTORICAL ANALYSIS AND EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Abstract
Georgia, despite its relatively modest territory, possesses an exceptional diversity of natural resources, historically shaped by human activity across its distinct regions. This article examines the late 19th-century foreign exploitation of two of Georgia’s key natural resources — Chiatura manganese and the timber of the Ateni Gorge — and proposes an integrated pedagogical approach for primary education (grades IV–V) combining Natural Sciences, Georgian Studies, and Mathematics. Drawing on historical primary sources, including Vakhushti Batonishvili’s Description of the Kingdom of Georgia, 19th-century periodical publications, and contemporary statistical data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia, the study identifies a common historical pattern: in both cases, foreign capital extracted valuable natural resources without corresponding local economic benefit, while ecological and social consequences — soil erosion, deforestation, and flooding — remained entirely local. Folk literature and the writings of Georgian public figures of the period reflected this experience as both warning and critique. The mathematical component of the proposed lesson employs authentic historical and statistical data — including export figures, forest area dynamics, and unit conversions — to link quantitative reasoning to concrete ecological and historical contexts. The findings suggest that integrating primary historical sources into natural science education strengthens students’ understanding of resource management, transforming an abstract principle into a vivid, locally grounded lesson. The study offers a replicable methodology for educators seeking to develop similar cross-curricular lessons using regional historical materials.
Reference
Tinatin Iosebidze; David Chochishvili; Lela Aleksidze; Manana Michitashvili. (2026). FOREIGN EXPLOITATION OF GEORGIA’S NATURAL RESOURCES — TIMBER AND MANGANESE (LATE 19TH CENTURY): HISTORICAL ANALYSIS AND EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS. Grail of Science. https://doi.org/10.36074/grail-of-science.24.07.2026.034
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