| Sumario: | The paper deals with two 11th c. Georgian hagiographic texts: the Life of Ioane (John) and Ek’vt’ime (Euthymios) Mt’acmindeli (Hagiorites), written by Giorgi (George) Mt’acmindeli in 1042-1044, and the Life of Giorgi Mt’acmindeli, composed soon after his death by Giorgi Mc’ire (the Lesser). The Lives of the great Georgian Athonite Fathers – the first abbots of Iviron – are the most significant sources for the reconstruction of various aspects of the early history of Athos. The Lives provide precious information about the monastic arts of the Agion Oros. Icons, liturgical implements, precious textiles and books are mentioned in various contexts – they are recorded in the lists of donations given to the Great Lavra, Iviron and Karyes by Georgian Fathers. The texts reveal the increased religious and political dimensions of icons in the 10th-11th c. monastic environment: they enhance different monastic spaces – churches, ossuaries, cells of monks. They are also important elements in commemorative practices. Moreover, these texts allow us to retrace the role of artifacts in the complex system of relations within and beyond monastic communities in the Middle Byzantine period.
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