Upper Svaneti June 1988 Kevin Tuite Université de

Upper Svaneti, June 1988 Kevin Tuite Université de Montréal

Upper Svanetian villages and landscape

Mestia, the district capital

Commune of Mulakhi seen from the road heading to Ipari

Site of a winter avalanche which destroyed an entire hamlet in Mulakhi

Approaching the commune of Ipari from Mulakhi

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Village Becho, and pass leading to North Caucasus

• Medieval defense tower (murq’wam) built atop a boulder in the Inguri River, on the road between Ipari and K’ala

Interior of a church, with amulets and horns nailed onto a cross. Note the ancient stone iconostasis, with the original painted decorations still visible.

Eteri outside of a traditional twostory house in Mest’ia

Ancient wooden door of the church at Nak’ipari (Ipari commune)

Relief images of animals on exterior wall of Nak’ipari church

Inside the church at Nak’ipari. My friends and I were met by the village elder, who invited us to a small banquet of fish, cheese, bread and the local vodka.

Medieval fresco of legendary hero Amiran slaying the demon Baqbaq, on the outer wall of a church in Lenjer

Almost every homestead in « Free Svaneti » (the communes from Latali to Ushguli, which were never incorporated into the principalities of western Georgia) had its own defense tower.

The commune of Ushguli, where we witnessed the excavation of a local church by archaeologists hoping to locate the tomb of Queen Tamar.

Ushguli, at the head of the Inguri River

Before excavating under the floor of the church, the crosses, icons and other sacred objects that the church had acquired over the centuries were taken out to be stored in a nearby tower, which was converted into a museum.

Inside the home of a Svan artisan and his family, in Ushgul. One of the women is holding a ch’unir, a traditional stringed instrument.

The church of Lamaria, surrounded by a low stone wall and defended by a tower, is situated behind the artisan’s home.

The Svans. Snapshots of people we met during our too-brief stay in Upper Svaneti.

Stopping by one of the numerous mineral -water springs.

A folk-music ensemble in Mest’ia