Nokalakevi-Tsikhegoji-Archaeopolis is one of the most important monument of the early Middle Ages, which is situated in the west Georgia, in 17-km North-East from the town Senaki. The site lies on the left bank of the river Tekhuri, where the river flows out from the rocky gorge and sharply turns to East. In result the city is bordered by the river from three sides.

According to the 19th - 20th centuries' reserchers the mitic city Aea , from where Iazon, Medea and Argonauts stole the Golden Fleece, lied exactly there where Nokalakevi is situated now. Dubois de Montpereux was the first who expressed this idea in 30s of 19th century

The earliest archaeological layers in Nokalakevi are dated VIII-VII centuries B.C. the Finds of that period consist of ceramic statues of various animals (sheeps, pigs horses) The most important from ceramic are two-headed animal statues, which point to the high level of life in that period. The life in Nokalakevi continues also in the VI-IV centuries B.C. In the layers of that periods there are found local and imported pottery, especially important ones are ground and pot-burrials of helenistic period. This finds were diverse, they are: beads, rings, earrings, neclaces, bracelets, which are made of gold, silver, bronze, glass, paste and etc. There are also found the rich ceramical materials. Among them the most important ones are the amphoras.

According to the 11th century Georgian historican Leonti Mroveli, in the III century B.C. Parnavaz - the legendary King of Kartli (Iberia), gave the rulership of Egrisi and Svaneti to Kuji, who built Tsikhegoji ("The fortress of Kuji") on the place where Nokalakevi is now.

In Nokalakevi in IV century A.C there is built a city which becomes the capital of the Egrisi Kingdom (The whole West Georgia) in V and VI centuries the city widens more. The 19HA territory of the city is surrounded with 3km stone walls and consists of three parts: the main part of the city, middle city and the citadel.

On the territory of the city there are exposed palaces, christian churches, bath-houses, water reservoir, tunnel and other economical and fortification buildings. The tunnel which connects the city and the river was built with espacially high architectural technique. This tunnel wasn't only watter supply, but also it was one of the city gates. The most interesting is the strong fortification system of Nokalakevi, which is unique in the whole Caucasus. The city was protected by the river and high cliffs from three sides and the east part was protected by three rows of walls. Also the catles and gates which were smartly situated, made the city harder to conqure.

The bysantian authors of the VI century - Iusiniane's "Novella", Procophy Cesariel and Agathea Scolapticos give us the information about Nokalakevi when it was the capital and they are the firsts who mentioned this city as "Archaeopolis" ("the old city"). While discribing the war between Iran and Byzantium, these authors call Archaeopolis as "great and old" and "the main and the biggest city in Lazika", what of course proves that Archaeopolis was the capital of the Egrisi Kingdom. According to these writers, during the Iran-Byzantin wars, Archaeopolis (Nokalakevi) was one of the most strategical points in Lazika. The Iran General Marmero, who with several thousand soldiers, elephants and crio-machines tried to occupie the city, but in vain.

In the Georgian sources there is an information about distruction of Nokalakevi. Accroding to the XI century writer Juansher in 30s of the 7th century the Arab General Murvan Ibn Muhamed ("Murvan-The Deaf") after conquering Kartli and Armenia, he went to Egrisi and "divastated fortress with three walls which is Tsikhegoji". It is important to mention that after conquering Tsikhegoji and Egrisi, Murvan the Deaf could conquer nearly the whole Caucasus. After this devastation the city continued on a much smaller scale and only for a short time.

In the XVI-XVIII centuries Nokalakevi is the residence of one of the mengrelian rulers. According to the historian of the XVIII century Vakhushti Bagrationi, in that period there was a castle and Dadiani's Palace in Nokalakevi. It is proved by archaeologocal materials as well.