How old is the Georgian literary tradition?

The Georgian literary tradition is ancient, with its origins dating back to the 5th century CE. This period marked the emergence of the earliest datable literary monuments, which were inscribed using an original Georgian alphabet.12

While some sources note that the broader origins of Georgian literature are tied to the 4th-century conversion of the Georgian people to Christianity and the subsequent development of the script, the established literary tradition is formally recognized as beginning in the 5th century. During the Old Georgian period, which spanned from the 5th to the 11th century, a variety of original and translated works were produced, including a translation of the Bible.312