the etymology of "manglisi" may be related to the old georgian "mangali", "sickle", ultimately derived from the syrian "maggəlā". the modern georgian scholar ketevan kutateladze has conjectured that, the name of the locality, in the sense of "a crescent", may be a reflection of the moon cult, an effect of which persisted in the system of religious beliefs of georgians into the era of christianity.