The first field season of the project of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Italy) in cooperation with the Unit of Culture Sport and Youth of the Municipality of Lagodekhi (Georgia) took place from June 18th to August 1st 2018. The Italian team arrived in Georgia on June 19th and reached the town of Lagodekhi on June 21th. On July 29th the team returned to Tbilisi, and on August 1st the team flew back to Italy. The members of the Italian team were the following: prof. Elena Rova (co-director of the project, chief of the Italian group), dr. Katia Gavagnin (post-doc), Laura Tonetto and Anna Chiara Muscogiuri (post-graduate students at the SISBA archaeology specialisation school), Andrea Titolo MA (PhD student at Rome University), Francesco Bianchi, MA, Chiara Mariotto and Andrea Milanese, BA (MA students at Ca' Foscari University), prof. Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati (UCLA University, Los Angeles), archaeologists, dr. Kristen Hopper (University of Durham, UK, survey specialist), and prof. Giovanni Boschian (University of Pisa, geo-archaeologist).
    The Georgian team was composed of Davit Kvavadze (Director of the Lagodekhi Museum, co-director of the expedition), dr. Davit Darejanashvili, Magda Batiashvili and Tamar Bichashvili (BA students at Sokhumi State University), joined for a shorter period by Tatia Burtsuladze (MA student at Tbilisi State University). On July 6th-8th the team was joined by Lana Chologauri (Ph student at Tbilisi State University, formerly Erasmus student at Ca' Foscari), Nino Pataridze and Giorgi Kirkitadze (PhD students at Ilia State University), who took part in the survey, produced drone images of the site and assisted in translating some Georgian publications into English. Mr. Malkhaz Tamarazashvili drove the expedition minibus, and Mr. Zaza Tsodolishvili assisted with translations.
    On July 17th the Italian team attended the lecture of the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella at TSU University in Tbilisi. On July 22 the team was visited by the Italian Ambassador at Tbilisi, His Excellency Dr. Antonio Enrico Bartoli, and by Mr. Jondo Mdivanishvili (Mayor of Ladodekhi), Mr. Zurab Japaridze (first deputy of the Lagodekhi Mayor) and Mr. Levan Qajaia (Head of the Lagodekhi Regional Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth).