Above Balaklava, which itself shows a very Kartvelian root in its name, rises Mount Asketi, that translates from Kartvelian as "land of aski". The root "aski" in its pure form is absent from Kartvelian dictionaries. But there is a word for "dog-rose" (askili), which uses "aski" as a root. Thus, it can be assumed that "aski" originally meant "thorn", which makes the word "asketi" acceptable for the name of the mountain.
On the other hand, the name may be related to the Georgian "ასკვითია" (Askvitia), which means "Scythia".
And finally, "Asketi" as a toponym can be legitimately formed out of ასაკი (asaki). It has a great variety of meanings: age, maturity, power, might, elegant, handsome.
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