khelrtva

{{Short description|Style of Georgian calligraphic signature}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{lang|ka-Latn|Khelrtva|nocat=y}}}}

File:1222 წელი. ბრძანება ლაშა გიორგისა.jpg of King George IV of Georgia with his khelrtva. AD 1222. Kept at the National Archives of Georgia in Tbilisi.]]

A {{lang|ka-Latn|khelrtva}} ({{lang-ka|ხელრთვა}}, {{IPA|ka|χeɫɾtʰʷa|pron}}) is a Georgian calligraphic signature, monogram or seal, originally used by the Georgian monarchs, queens consort, patriarchs, royalty and nobility,საგამომცემლო ლექსიკონი/ავტ.-შემდგ.: ვახტანგ დოხნაძე; [რედ.: მურმან სუხიშვილი; მხატვ.: ვახტანგ რურუა]. - [მე-2 შესწ. და შევს. გამოც.]. - თბ.: საგამომც. საქმის სასწ. ცენტრი, 2006. - 305გვ.; 20სმ.. - ბიბლიოგრ.: გვ. 301–304. (Publishing dictionary, edited by: Vakhtang Dokhnadze; Ed. Murman Sukhishvili; Artist: Vakhtang Rurua, Case Study Center, 2006. Bibliography: p. 301–304. - {{ISBN|99928-998-1-6}} : [ფ.ა.]National Parliamentary Library of Georgia: ხელრთვა[https://www.archives.gov.ge/index.php?page=71d9030c2fda3ea1fe12c3170d3348c7&news_id=163 ეროვნულ არქივში XI – XVIII საუკუნეების დოკუმენტებზე არსებული ხელრთვების კატალოგი მომზადდა (A catalog of carvings on documents of the XI - XVIII centuries in the National Archives)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310111236/http://www.archives.gov.ge/index.php?page=71d9030c2fda3ea1fe12c3170d3348c7&news_id=163 |date=2014-03-10 }} National Archives of Georgia universally used since the early eleventh century.Kviris Palitra (2015) [https://kvirispalitra.ge/article/36524-qarthvel-mefetha-khelrthvani/ ქართველ მეფეთა ხელრთვანი (Khelrtvas of the Georgian kings'')], [online publication date: 2017, August 19]

The word {{lang|ka-Latn|khelrtva}} literally means 'to decorate, adorn or beautify with hand' in Georgian, {{lang|ka-Latn|kheli}} ({{wikt-lang|ka|ხელი}}) meaning a hand and {{lang|ka|rtva}} ({{lang|ka|რთვა}}) meaning to decorate or adorn.

{{lang|ka-Latn|Khelrtva}} signatures were written in one of the three Georgian scripts, mostly in {{lang|ka-Latn|Nuskhuri}} and {{lang|ka-Latn|Mkhedruli}} scripts, though the monograms especially the royal ones were written in {{lang|ka-Latn|Asomtavruli}} script. Every Georgian monarch had their own individual {{lang|ka-Latn|khelrtva}} and was known as {{lang|ka|საუფლოჲ ხელი}} ({{lang|ka-Latn|sauploy kheli}}) literally meaning 'Hand of the Lord'. The tradition of {{lang|ka-Latn|khelrtvas}} is still in use in Georgia.Sinauridze, A. [http://karibche.ambebi.ge/skhvadaskhva/skhvadaskhva/5312-qkheli-saufloiq.html Hand of the Lord] Karibche, 04.02.2010