At first light we got up to take photographs but must
have forgotten that being enclosed by mountains the sun would not give
color to the environment until noon.
We visited the museum with Nana and the town's English
teacher, Ziuri. Among the exhibits were weapons such as primitive axes,
daggers and spears, the oldest of which date to 3,000-4,000 BC. Svan swords
were made of extremely strong steel by a secret formula which the Russians
tried to imitate without success. Strong enough to chop off an ox's head
at one blow the steel could be bent into a circle without becoming deformed.
Other points of interest were golden Byzantine icons and a thick leather-bound
tome of one of the world's oldest Bibles dating to 897 A.D.
The towers still stand as
witnesses to these terrible
customs of the past.
Of the towers that were once built
next to every house, 33 remain. Designed to ward off raiders, especially
from the North Caucasus, they vary in height from 10-12m (30-40 ft) and
gradually narrow through segments linked by gaps just wide enough for the
body to climb through. Most were built in the twelfth or thirteenth centuries,
the golden age of Queen Tamara. The towers were also used to accommodate
the entire family plus stores of ammunition, steamed meat, and water barrels
for months on end during blood feuds which could be triggered by an insulting
word or a kick at the neighbor dog. The feud could only be ended by making
a peace offering of land, weapons and oxen, the most valued possessions
of the Svans. Violent arguments over the quantity of these could lead to
more bloodshed. The towers still stand as witnesses to these terrible customs
of the past.
From each tower there is an exit to the adjacent
house where both man and beast dwell. In the center of the room hangs a
copper cauldron on a chain which carries the family's history and honor.
Theft of this object constitutes a deadly insult which can only be assuaged
by blood.
In the evening we hired a jeep to tour the villages
the following day. The early start was delayed by carrying cans of petrol
to the vehicle, sold from the garden of the petrol house.
In the center of the room
hangs a copper cauldron on a
chain which carries the
family's history and honor.
Once on the road Shihara (5,068m -
16,600 ft) gradually grew clearer. After a 3 hour journey of 44km (28mi)
we reached our first stop, Ushkuli, which at 2,200m (7,200ft) is the highest
inhabited place in Europe. Our guide, Nana, was from one of the biggest
families of this region, and dinner awaited us in the home of his relatives.
Weariness and the high altitude drove us to bed early. Next morning I climbed
towards the towers on the peak and was impressed by the size of the glaciers
on Shihara. Villagers were working in the fields on the slopes of the Enguri,
streaming silver grey from the foothills of Shihara. The main crop is vegetables,
but animal husbandry is also widespread, with cheese the common currency
for bartering. Climbing higher we reached the upper district of Ushkuli
where street cobbles and stone house walls were covered in places in moss.
A group of people picnicking near a small church called me over to drink
vodka from a goat horn. A couple of them were obviously drunk. I did not
wish to disturb the mystic atmosphere by producing my camera. Ushba is
an important mountain for the Svans. In the past no one approached the
mountain for it was believed to be inhabited by evil spirits. Legends abound,
mostly connected with Dali, goddess of hunting, who could transform herself
into mountain creatures and lead those who crossed her to their death. |
|
|
|
Georgia's highest peak, Shihara (5,068m) rises above
Ushguli.
The Enguri River, life blood of the Svans, rises from
glaciers of Mount Shihara near Ushguli.
The Caucasus Mountains are always covered in verdant
alpine pasture with a thousand and one varieties of flowers.
 
In the village cemetery we encountered a former Soviet
veteran Svan (left). Black is standard dress for Svan women (right).
Ethnically the Svans carry Georgian characteristics.
Ushguli men going up to the high plateau in the rain.
|
|
