Who are the Svans in Georgia? The Svans fled from the war, leaving behind their weapons, cows and Russian farm laborers. Only Russians and Urks live here

Somehow I completely moved to Facebook.

If someone hasn’t found me there yet, look for me by name Ksenia Svaneti Parjiani

But that's not the point.

Now I am actively inviting people to come to Svaneti for skiing. I publish information in many places, sometimes even too much. I feel like a spammer. Anyway. Again, this is not the point.

On one of the forums, people began to discuss what could be attractive about skiing Svaneti.
Comparing it with the Alps is simply ridiculous, or at least with Gudauri. But even with Gudauri it’s somehow not comparable.
People expressed their positions on why they would go skiing to Svaneti.
And here, of course, for many, the first thing that came to the forefront was that Svaneti is a unique region in which people live with an ancient culture, where traditions have not yet been forgotten and the way of life adopted many centuries ago is preserved. Wise, proud, fair mountaineers. This is how it happens, there really are a lot of people here from whom you can learn wisdom, endurance, faith and many other things that sometimes you simply forget about in the modern world.
But you have to understand that not everyone here is like that. And if you travel as a tourist, live in a hotel or guest house (the most common form of accommodation in Svaneti now), you may encounter completely different attitude. And, of course, the people living here are not ideal.

Maybe I shouldn’t have taken this out of that forum, but my blog is intended to talk about life in Svaneti. And if you tell only stories and legends about the mountain Svans, the information cannot be called complete.
I’ll tell you about common situations that arise here and tell you how to make sure that there are fewer of them on your trip.

Mentality

I would call them not wild, but temperamental. Here people take much less time to boil. And the well-known manner of the Svans, speaking loudly and actively gesticulating, really frightens and alarms many. But it’s rare to see this temperament develop into aggression or bullishness, like, “Why are you looking at me?!”
Moreover, this manner is grasped very quickly, after a couple of days, tourists who have communicated with the Svans also begin to speak loudly)))

Regular Swan:
- loves chacha (LOVES CHACHA REALLY);
- hospitable (especially after several servings of chacha, so hospitable that he almost forcefully drags you to visit him and tries to give him his favorite chacha to drink). It’s only when you find yourself at Svan’s house that you understand what kind of “hospitality” it was - that for him you are just another wild sheep that was brought into a stall, and now they will actively shear and aggressively defend it from other “beaters” who are also trying to shear off you are being paid;
- selfish (if there is an opportunity to profit from those around him, he will milk you down to the last penny. If you are staying with him, you are obliged to pay for everything and everything, and only to him exclusively)

We must admit that this is happening in Svaneti. Many Svans love to drink. Well, a drunk person, be he Svan, be he English, can behave inappropriately. But we had tourists who didn’t drink and more than once the Svans left them alone, not forcing them to drink against their will. As our guide told his group: “Drunk Svan - bad person". This rule is really worth remembering and trying to avoid contacts. It seems to me that this is not difficult to do. There are no such rednecks here (according to at least I haven’t seen in 5 years) that would have been infected. Regarding the fact that the Svans only want to cut money from you. And when they tell you a low price, and in the end they charge you twice as much - yes. This also became a common practice. The solution is simple. Use recommendations, fortunately there are many of them on the Internet, come to friends or trusted people, use the services of a tour operator, such as Lilya Tour of Svaneti. In pursuit of savings, many spend much more. I’m not saying that saving is bad, sometimes it’s even worth bargaining, but you need to understand that people here now live only from tourism, and that’s why they want to get money from it more money, sometimes not by honest means, unfortunately.

An ordinary Svan does not like his neighbors (all Svans, despite apparent friendship, are in fact in continuous and harsh confrontation. Almost to the point of fighting and other mafia showdowns). The famous Svan towers are just a necessary measure of survival in a world where every neighbor is an enemy to his neighbor and whoever has the tallest tower shoots at his neighbors with arrows.

This remark is very close to reality. For some reason, Svaneti now has the most serious conflicts arise precisely between neighbors. I’ll tell you honestly, this didn’t happen some 50 years ago. People lived more peacefully. Conflicts could break out, but their reasons were different. And the towers, as you understand, did not help in any way from conflicts, given the fact that neighbors are always members of the same clan, the same family. But what can we do, we learn to live like this, often not trusting those closest to us. And in Mestia there is also competition. Everyone is in a hurry to snatch the tourist from each other. Therefore, it would be good if the market calmed down a little and became stable, so that people would order housing in advance, many conflicts could be avoided. And so yes. in Mestia there are often even fights between locals. But, by the way, not only in Mestia. Guests told me how two taxi drivers, before their eyes, began to punch each other in the face who would go. And in the end everything was decided by the price. One wanted 5 lari, the other agreed to 4 lari.

Food.
Local stores are very scarce in food (frozen sausages, noodles and canned food... that's probably all. Back to the USSR), and the Svans won't let you cook in their kitchen - please eat local cuisine at exorbitant prices. And even that one will be prepared from stewed meat and other cheap products. Svans usually carry their own groceries, so I repeat, don’t count on stores. About the delicious real thing Georgian cuisine- this is definitely not for you in Svaneti. In Svaneti, only one thing is tasty - Svan salt. There is no kitchen in Svaneti - a normal store (in Zugdidi) is 6 hours along a mountain road. So, historically, the cuisine there is sparse and uncomplicated.

I recently had guests from Ukraine here, everyone asked what kind of food, how much, and whether we would be hungry. I kept wondering where such questions came from. When they arrived, they explained to me that they had vacationed in Gudauri last year and did not meet there that same Georgian table, which was bursting with dishes. I tell them, but there can’t be a feast every day. And they answer, and we were ready to pay good money for this, but no one could offer us. By the way, they were more than satisfied with the food in our house. Yes, in Mestia they often feed tourists in houses in a simpler, rather than cheaper way. Well, what to do? The tourist does not consider that the food is good; it cannot be cheap. Agriculture in Svaneti is now in decline. Almost no one keeps pigs; in 3 years the livestock has already been killed by the flu five times. And since they are all free-range, the disease spreads instantly. To support a meat and dairy farm you need a lot of hay. Hay needs to be prepared, but there is no one to prepare it, everyone is busy with tourism. The people are barely managing to feed themselves. In general, everything is imported from Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi. Always more expensive and not always fresher and tastier. So again, recommendations and reviews from guests and reasonableness in choice will be a big plus.
What I also want to say is that Svaneti is a beautiful region. And despite the possible disadvantages, getting to know him will bring you a lot of positive impressions and emotions. If you read my blog, don't miss it. I helped a lot of people see Svaneti without all these disadvantages. We became friends with many people. Perhaps I am not offering the cheapest option. There are no houses in our database that accept two meals a day for 35 GEL. But the reason they don’t exist is because I can give you your head to be cut off, wherever we settle you, you will be welcome as if you were old. good friends, the table will be bursting with food and you will see those same wise and calm Svans about whom so much has been written.
I love you, my friends!

One of the most mountainous and inaccessible regions of Georgia is Svaneti. The first plane was seen there in the middle of the last century, and the first modern road was built four years ago. Kirill Mikhailov looked into why the Svans are respected and why they are feared.

Svans - small mountain people, which lives on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Range in northwestern Georgia. According to the current Soviet time Svan traditions are classified as Georgians, although they speak their own language, which forms an independent branch in the Kartvelian language family.

Presumably, the Kartvelian language family split into Georgian-Zan and Svan branches at the turn of the 4th and 3rd millennia BC, so the Svans have reason to claim that they are a separate people, although all Svans speak Georgian, and native language remains the language of everyday communication. According to various estimates, 30-35 thousand Svans now live on the territory of Georgia.

The history of this people can be traced from sources since the time of Queen Tamara (late 12th - early 13th centuries), although there are references to the Svans even among ancient authors. Thanks to several important factors

- common Christian faith, common written language - Svan culture is largely formed by Georgian culture and forms part of it. At the same time, the small mountain people living in relative isolation, unlike the Georgians, retained their tribal system, which still determines their national character. This is how Korniliy Borozdin, who served as an official in the Tiflis province in mid-19th century

century: “Tall, muscular, with a type reminiscent of our crests, they were dressed in light chokhas (outer men's clothing made of cloth, reminiscent of a Circassian jacket. - approx.

ed.), on thick hair, cut into brackets, instead of hats, there were some small circles made of cloth, tied with laces under the shaved chins; Such a headdress served at the same time as a sling, from which the Svaneti throw stones with extraordinary dexterity. The shoes, reminiscent of ancient sandals, consisted of leather (kalaban) shoes with the wool up, tied with straps.”

Blood feud Blood feud for the Svans has long become a tradition - the film “Svan” (2007), based on real events events happening in our time clearly demonstrates this. Over the course of an hour and a half, people of different ages

Colonel Ivan Alekseevich Bartolomei in the “Notes” of the Caucasian Department of the Geographical Society in 1855 describes his trip to Svaneti: “As I became more and more familiar with the Free Svaneti (Free Svaneti is one of the parts of Svaneti - ed.), I became convinced how unfair and rumors of their ossified cruelty are exaggerated; I saw before me a people in my childhood, almost primitive people, therefore, very impressionable, unforgiving in bloodshed, but remembering and understanding goodness;

I noticed good nature, cheerfulness, gratitude in them...”

In fact, rumors about the cruelty and savagery of the Svans still circulate. Georgians like to say that on the slopes of Elbrus, the bodies of soldiers of the First Mountain Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht, better known by its emblem as “Edelweiss,” are still preserved frozen in the ice. This division is also known for the fact that its fighters hoisted fascist flags on both peaks of Elbrus on August 21, 1942. So, in Georgia they say that supposedly it was the Svans who drove out the mountain shooters from the peaks of the Caucasus, killing many, but Soviet propaganda was silent about this, because the Svans with the same fury killed other strangers who came to their mountains - the communists.

However, German sources do not report serious losses inflicted by the Svans on the combat path of the Edelweiss division. There is a story on the Internet from one climber who, in a Svan village, was allowed to shoot with a perfectly preserved German Mauser 98k rifle, but most likely this was not a battle trophy: at the beginning of 1943, the division was hastily removed from the front due to the threat of encirclement and sent to Greece. And some of the weapons and equipment simply had to be abandoned in the mountains.

One of the most famous symbols of Svaneti is the Svan towers. Most of them were built several centuries ago according to the same architectural plan: height up to 25 meters, base 5 by 5 meters, four or five floors with wooden ceilings, on each floor there is one narrow window, usually facing south, on the top floor there are several windows, but all of them are not suitable for archery or firearms. There are still debates about the purpose of Svan towers: whether they are military or sentinel structures, or economic, but certainly not residential. To imagine how the Svans lived a century and a half ago, let us turn again to the memoirs of Korniliy Borozdin: “Imagine people, no more than three thousand in number, who settled in an area shaped like a box, open only three months a year, and in the remaining nine months hermetically sealed. The soil here will not give birth to anything except rye, which sometimes does not ripen, from which stinking vodka (araki) is distilled, and within three months the mountains are covered with grass, which at this time can be used to feed a baranta (a herd of rams and sheep. - K.M. ) and cattle and then, except for a small amount of honey, game, foxes, small animals, there is nothing - literally nothing.

Three months have passed, the box has slammed shut, that is, the snow has covered everything, and if people have not made provisions for the coming nine months, they will inevitably find themselves in a worse situation than blocked in a fortress and driven to exhaustion by hunger; there you can still run out to the enemy, but here you can’t run out anywhere. Consequently, it is impossible to exist without reserves, but where can you get them from, if not from your neighbors, and, moreover, without giving anything for them for a very simple reason, since there is nothing of your own to give. After that, how can you take from your neighbors, if not secretly and not by force? Call the free Svanetians whatever sentimental nicknames you want, but still, this does not interfere with the essence of their predatory profession at the expense of their neighbors: Karachay, Mingrelia, Princely Svaneti.”

Judging by the conditions in which the Svans lived, the towers were primarily sentinels and signals: in case of danger, a fire was lit on the tower, then on the next one, and so the entire gorge could quickly learn about the approach of the enemy. The towers still remain a sign of the wealth and prosperity of the clan, since they were mostly built next to residential buildings, not in the wilderness, and are owned by families who strive to preserve these structures.

The Svans are the people of the Svan group belonging to the Kartvelian language family. The self-name of the people is Lushnu, Mushvan. Previously, the Svans were identified as a separate nation, but after the 1926 census they began to be included in the Georgians. All Svan surnames end in “-ani”.

Where live

The Svans live in the north-west of Georgia in the regions of Samegrelo, Zemo-Svaneti, Racha-Lechkhumi, Lower Svaneti, Mestia and Lentekhi municipalities. All of them are united into a historical region called Svaneti. A small number of representatives of the people live on the territory of Abkhazia in the Kodori Gorge, part of the Gulripsha region.

Svaneti is the highest historical region in Georgia. It is located on both sides of the Svaneti ridge in northern Georgia, as well as on the southern slopes of the central part of the Main Caucasus ridge. Svaneti is divided into two parts:

1. Zemo-Svaneti (Upper Svaneti), located in the gorge of the Inguri River, at an altitude of 1000-2500 meters above sea level;
2. Kvemo Svaneti (Lower Svaneti), located in the gorge of the Tskhenistskali River, at an altitude of 600-1500 meters above sea level.

There are no cities in Svaneti; the administrative capital of the region is the urban-type settlement of Mestia, where there is even an airport.

Number

According to various estimates, the number of Svans living in Svaneti ranges from 14,000 to 30,000 people. Some estimates put the number at much higher, from 62,000 to 80,000. According to the 2010 population census, 45 Svans live in Russia.

Language

The Svans speak the Svan language (Lushnu Nin), which belongs to a separate Svan group of Kartvelian languages. In Svan there are a number of dialects, four dialects, divided into 2 groups:

1. upper - Nizhnebalsky and Verkhnebalsky;
2. lower - Lentekh, Lash.

This language is unwritten; Svan speakers use the Georgian script and the Latin alphabet to write. In 1864, the Svan alphabet in the Georgian language was published, but this alphabet did not take root.

Svan has many borrowings from Mingrelian and Georgian languages. All Svan speakers are bilingual and have a good command of Georgian.

Food

Often on the Svan table you can see khachapuri with cheese or meat, blood sausage ziskhora, salted suluguni cheese, and meat. They eat lamb, pork, and beef. TO festive table prepare a whole baked suckling pig. From chicken meat in combination with spicy seasonings they make a cold appetizer called satsivi. Cooking mashed potatoes with cheese (shusha), shurpa - meat broth with hot pepper, sometimes potatoes are added to it. Almost every day Svans eat matsoni - spoiled milk, similar to curdled milk. The people's diet includes nuts and honey.

Svanetian salt is extremely popular - table salt mixed with aromatic herbs and tsitsaka pepper. The salt is ground in a mortar for about 3 hours, then spices and herbs that can only be found in Svaneti are added to it. Salt is always present on the Svan table; it is added to various dishes, making them more aromatic and tasty.

From alcoholic drinks They traditionally drink fruit or honey vodka. Grapes do not take root in this area, so they do not have their own wine; the Svans buy it in other regions of Georgia. But their most important drink is mineral water; it is obtained from numerous springs on the land of Svaneti.

Religion

Paganism has long been present among the Svans. 160 days a year were dedicated to the worship of the sun god. In the 9th century, Orthodoxy came to Svaneti, which contributed to the conflict, as a result, the inhabitants continued to believe in the sun god. After the second attempt, the church managed to enter Svaneti and even influence the population. But priests rarely appeared here until the 19th century. Today the Svans are Orthodox Christians. An incredible number of churches have been built in the region; they contain unique icons. In the village alone, up to 60 small churches were built.

Appearance

The Svans have always been distinguished by their character, famous for their courage and stateliness. These are proud people, reserved and patient. They never offend anyone without reason, and do not use swear words. They don't even exist in the Svan language. Their strongest curse is the word “fool.” The Svans have long been considered the best warriors of the Caucasus.

They are tall, well-built and beautiful, similar in appearance to Georgians. Today Svans wear ordinary clothes and shoes. Previously, men's clothing consisted of two or three narrow beshmets, placed one on top of the other, leaving the forearms, chest, and knees open. They didn't wear shirts. Instead of pants, they put on an apron, and wrapped strips of cloth around their legs from ankles to hips. They did not have shoes; their feet were wrapped in a piece of untreated leather, and the front was folded into a pointed toe. The traditional headdress of the Svans is a round felt cap, which men still wear today.

Girls did not cover their heads; after marriage, they wore a red scarf that covered their entire face, only their ears remained open. The clothes they wore were narrow long dresses made of red linen. A tie was sewn on the front. In winter they wore a cloak made of coarse cloth, in summer they wore capes made of red canvas.

Life

Svan families consist of 30 or more members. People have tribal relations. One clan includes up to 30 houses and up to 200-300 relatives. Parents' housing always went to their sons; if there are no boys in the family, then the house is doomed to ruin. Daughters always go to their husband's home. The Svans are famous for their belligerence, but they never attacked with the aim of seizing territory, but only defended their lands from the enemy.

Since ancient times, people have been creating paintings from bronze, gold, and copper. Svan famous blacksmiths, woodcarvers and stonemasons created household equipment, dishes from copper, silver, clay and wood. The Svans make their own gunpowder, mine and smelt lead, produce coarse cloth, and then sell it in Imereti. Traditionally, the inhabitants of Svaneti are engaged in beekeeping. Their most revered activities are hunting and mountaineering. Svans have always been and today remain professional climbers and hunters. For the people, mountaineering is a sport, and hunting is an important economic activity.

The inhabitants of Svaneti used to actively use slave labor. They captured residents of neighboring states and republics who worked in their fields, raised livestock, chopped firewood, and did other household work.

In Svaneti there was a unique democratic form of government. The head of the community (themi) was called Makhvishi, he was elected at a general meeting in which only sensible people of both sexes who were already 20 years old had the right to participate. The chosen one was distinguished from the rest by such qualities as wisdom, spiritual purity, sedateness, and justice. He should have been Orthodox Christian. In times of peace, Makhvishi was a judge, and during war he led the army and was appointed commander-in-chief.

Housing

The Svans built two-story houses (machui), the walls were erected from stone without fixing mortar, or they made houses from wickerwork and coated them with clay. Winters in the mountains are harsh, so all the animals lived together with people under the same roof. The first floor was reserved for women and livestock, men lived on the second floor, and there was a hayloft there. There was a separate room in the house for women in labor; everyone slept on benches. During the course of the dwelling there was a corridor from where two or three entrances led into the dwelling. This is where the Svan proverb “Women to the left, cows to the right” comes from. The house was heated by a fireplace, and food was cooked on it. The courtyards with housing were surrounded stone wall 3 meters high.

Traditions

Blood feud among the Svans is a normal phenomenon, as for modern people court. Today the Svans have become more civilized and gradually began to come into contact with Europeans, but from time to time blood feuds still happen. Previously conflicts happened even for the slightest reason, for example, if one man looked at another’s wife the wrong way or kicked his dog. The reasons could be resentment, envy, insults, as a result of which one family went against another and blood was shed. In such cases, families hid in their towers built near the house, and if the whole family was killed, their tower and house were considered cursed.

Today there are many such ancient stone towers on the territory of Svaneti. These buildings are included in the list of objects World Heritage UNESCO. All the towers are ancient, and no one is building new ones anymore. They were erected mainly for protection from attacks and avalanches coming down from the mountains; food was stored in the towers and used as a watchtower. They climbed into the towers using rope ladders that folded up, making it almost impossible to get into the buildings. Later, the Svans believed that which family had more towers was considered stronger and more successful.

Gender also influenced success born child, because a man in a family is a protector and breadwinner. If a boy was born, the whole family was considered happy. The birth of a girl did not bring such joy. After the wedding, according to custom, the bride's parents provide the land and dowry. This is another reason why the birth of a boy was a joy for the family.

The Lamproba holiday is celebrated 10 weeks before Easter, in February. On this day, they glorify the valor of boys, young men and men over their enemies, commemorate their ancestors, light bonfires, and organize torchlight processions with a festive meal. In each house, as many torches are lit as there are men in the family. If there is a pregnant woman in the family, a torch is lit in honor of the child she is carrying. Torches are made from solid tree trunks, the top is split into several parts. During the procession with torches, men walk towards the church and sing songs in the Svan language. In the courtyard of the church, a large fire is made from torches and tables are set. All night until dawn, people read a prayer to St. George and raise toasts.

Another holiday is called “Week of Souls.” Everyone sets the tables, then waits for the souls of deceased relatives to arrive. The following rituals are performed on this holiday:

• knives are not placed on tables;
• children are covered with soot;
• put fresh pastries on the table;
• candles are lit.

All Svans respect their elders immensely; if a person older than those present enters the room, everyone stands up. It was common practice among these people to steal people from other people's villages, for whom they then took a ransom in the form of weapons. For example, a gold-plated gun was demanded for a beautiful young girl stolen from someone else’s village.

The people are very hospitable, they always welcome the guest well, feed them and provide them with the necessary things. It is considered shameful for a man to sit next to his wife; they do not like talking about women and do not even really know what kind of life a woman has in her family. Svan weddings are held in the bride’s house, she is bought from her relatives, and then they begin to feast. Women and men always sit at separate tables.

Svaneti is one of the highest mountainous regions of Georgia. It is located on the southern slopes of the central part of the Main Caucasus Range and on both sides of the Svaneti Range, in the northern part of Western Georgia. Zemo (Upper) Svaneti is located in the gorge of the Inguri River (at an altitude of 1000-2000 meters above sea level), and Kvemo (Lower) Svaneti is in the gorge of the Tskhenis-tskali River (at an altitude of 600-1500 meters above sea level). In the southeast, Svaneti borders on Racha-Lechkhumi, in the west on Abkhazia, and on the south is Imereti and part of the territory of Samegrelo. In the north, the border of Svaneti runs along the Main Caucasus Range, on the other side of which are Karachay and Kabarda.

The population of Svaneti is Svans - Georgian highlanders, ethnographic group Georgians who speak Georgian and in everyday life the Svan language (the Svan language belongs to the Kartvelian languages ​​and has four dialects and a number of dialects). Svans are an extremely colorful people. They have always been famous for their stateliness and courage. The Svans were considered the best warriors in Georgia. The ancient Greek geographer and historian Strabo wrote: “The Svans are a powerful people and, I think, the bravest and bravest in the world. They are at peace with all neighboring nations.” Pliny, Ptolemy, Appius, and Eustathius of Thessalonia wrote about the hospitable, enlightened and strong Svans.

The history of the proud, courageous and freedom-loving people of Svans, who have preserved their language, goes back several thousand years. He was never enslaved by enemies, maybe that’s why the people who once inhabited the coastal strip of the Colchis lowland and present-day Abkhazia, after numerous wars, chose a free life in the mountains.. It is noteworthy that the Svans never had serfdom, and the nobility was conditional character. After all, every Svan is a person who does not accept domination over himself. The Svans never waged wars of conquest, this is evidenced by historical facts, one of which is the construction in ancient times of watch and defensive towers called “Svan towers”. Since ancient times, the Svans have traditionally been fond of creating picturesque products from copper, bronze and gold. Famous Svan blacksmiths, stonemasons and woodcarvers made dishes and various household utensils from silver, copper, clay and wood, as well as Svan caps - the national Svan headdress and unique “kanzi” from tur horns.

Beekeeping was traditional for the Svans - an ancient Georgian occupation, especially widespread in the mountainous regions of Western Georgia. But the most respected and revered professions for Svans are hunting and mountaineering. The Svans were and remain professional hunters and climbers. Hunting for the Svans is actually equivalent economic activity, and mountaineering - national species sports of Svaneti. The Svan mountaineering school produced many outstanding athletes. The most famous person in Svaneti there is a mountaineer and rock climber - “Tiger of the Rocks” - Mikhail Khergiani, who tragically died in the Italian Dolomites on the wall of Su Alto in 1969. The conquerors of the peaks of Ushba, Tetnulda and Shkhara were natives of Svaneti: Gabliani, Japaridze, Gugava, Akhvlediani and many others. Svan was a Hero Soviet Union, captain 3rd rank Yaroslav Konstantinovich Ioseliani, who during the war years made more than a dozen military campaigns and torpedoed many enemy ships. Another famous Svan is the famous film director Otar Ioseliani, who directed the films “Falling Leaves”, “Once Upon a Time There Lived a Song Thrush”, “Pastoral”, etc.

Selected chapters from Alexander Kuznetsov's book "Below Svaneti" ed. Central Committee of the Komsomol Young Guard, 1971

The Svans are Kartvelians by origin; they belong to the family of the Caucasian or Japhetic peoples. They were called Japhetids ancient inhabitants Caucasus, its aborigines. Svaneti is an organic part of Georgia. It is connected with it not only geographically, but also through its entire history and centuries-old culture.

However, the Svan language is completely different from modern Georgian. The Svan language never had its own written language; the Georgian script was adopted. Georgian is the language taught in schools, and all books, magazines and newspapers are printed in it in Svaneti.

The Svan language lives in parallel with Georgian. They read and study in Georgian, and Svan is spoken in the family and songs are sung. Most Svans now use three different languages- Svan, Georgian and Russian.

Librarian in the village of Adishi

The Romans were familiar with Svaneti already from the 1st century AD, when the Svans occupied much large territory. Scientists of Rome, historians and geographers, considered the Svans to be powerful and warlike people, with whom even the Roman generals had to reckon. Even then the Svans had high culture and were well organized, firmly welded together by their ancestral social order. It is possible that some kind of Italian influence penetrated into Svaneti and brought here architectural forms completely alien to other regions of the Caucasus. The battlements of the Svan towers are somewhat reminiscent of the Moscow Kremlin. It is known that the Kremlin walls were built by Italians in the 15th century. There are watchtowers in the Caucasus and other places, in Ossetia, for example, but nowhere else will you find anything similar to the architectural forms of the Svan towers. Perhaps in medieval Italy...

Ushguli village

The Kartvels appeared in Georgia 1000 years BC; it is not yet known for certain when they settled in Svaneti. However, in the Mestia Museum you can see objects found in Svaneti that belonged to people not only of the Bronze Age, but also of the Stone Age.

Documents, books, icons, architectural monuments, with whom we managed to get acquainted and which give a more or less clear idea of ​​the history and ancient culture Svaneti does not go back further than the X - XII centuries AD. Legends, traditions and historical songs also begin from the time of Queen Tamara (late 12th and early 13th centuries).

One thing is clear: the entire history and development of the culture of the Svans, their way of life, customs and mores are connected with two seemingly contradictory phenomena. This is isolation from the outside world and at the same time influence Georgian culture, mainly through Christian religion. It was isolation that led to the preservation and strengthening of the clan system, which lasted until the 20th century, while in other parts of Georgia the clan system was replaced by a feudal system three centuries BC. Self-government, apparently, served to develop a heightened sense of independence among the Svans and formed the Svan character - proud and courageous. What else, other than the desire to be independent, to preserve one’s freedom with all one’s might and even at the cost of one’s life, could have created these towers, these fortified houses, this desire to preserve one’s own, and only one’s, way of life? After all, Upper, or Free Svaneti, waged a ceaseless and persistent struggle for its freedom for centuries.

With our own historical monuments- churches, books written on parchment in ancient Georgian, silver chased icons, frescoes and other works of art of bygone times - Svaneti is certainly obliged general culture Georgia, to which Christianity came from Byzantium in the 4th century.

Church in the village of Adishi

All Svans are fanatically hospitable. Nowadays there are a lot of different people walking around Svaneti, and everyone is still finding shelter, shelter and food in Svan houses. Svans are leisurely, reserved and polite. They will never offend a person. The Svan language is distinguished by the absence of swear words. The most powerful curse word among the Svans is the word “fool”. (The rest were borrowed from other languages.) But even this word could not be tolerated by Svan’s pride; often because of it, enmity and even blood feud arose. Politeness is in the blood of Svans, laid down by many generations. Respect for elders, veneration of the elderly has been elevated to an unshakable law in Upper Svaneti.

Crazy courage and bravery coexist with deep inner culture, tact and restraint in the character of the Svan.

Photo by R. Barug

It’s clear that a lot depends on how you look at things, on what a person wants to see. For example, Dr. Orbeli published a brochure about goiter and cretinism in Svaneti in 1903. So, he saw only diseases here. And another doctor, Olderocce, wrote in 1897 “Essay on degeneration in Princely and Free Svaneti.” This doctor predicted the complete degeneration of the Svans in half a century. Half a century has passed - and nothing... The doctor’s foresight failed him.

The first Russian person to write about Svaneti was the Tsar's Colonel Bartholomew. What a arrogant aristocrat, but still managed to examine and understand the Svans:

“As I became more and more familiar with the Free Svaneti, I became convinced how unfair and exaggerated the rumors about their ossified cruelty were; I saw before me the people in childhood, almost primitive people, therefore, very impressionable, inexorable in bloodshed, but remembering and understanding good; I noticed good nature, cheerfulness, gratitude in them..."

Everyone sees, understands and loves first of all what they know. Therefore, I will talk about the Svan character using the example of mountaineering. Yes, speaking about modern Svans, it is simply impossible not to dwell on this.

No one will ever tell you absolutely definitely why people strive for the top. Only one thing can be said with confidence: this activity does not provide any material benefits. Only spiritual values ​​are acquired here. That’s why mountaineering is so popular among the Svans. It's just in their nature.

They may object to me: “Why shouldn’t the Svans be climbers when they live almost on the peaks!” Oh, that would be an ill-considered objection! Among the local population of the Pamirs or Tien Shan you rarely meet an outstanding climber. Aren't these mountains? There is, apparently, a general pattern for the whole world - there are almost no climbers among the mountaineers. The exceptions are the Sherpas in the Himalayas, the Svans in the Caucasus and the inhabitants of the Alps.

Shaliko Margiani works on the wall

This feature of the Svans was noticed already in the last century by the teacher of the Kutaisi City School V. Ya. Teptsov, who did not always speak flatteringly about the Svans. In his book "Svaneti", published in Tiflis in 1888, he wrote:

“Promise another mountaineer Mohammed’s paradise beyond the glaciers, he will not go, but the Svanet climbs straight into the jaws of death... They say that wandering beyond the mountains among the Svanet has become the same habit as roaming among the gypsies.”

Here is a list of famous climbers - residents of Upper Svaneti.

The older generation, the pioneers of Soviet mountaineering, about whom we will talk further:

1. Gio Niguriani.

2. Gabriel Khergiani.

3. Vissarion Khergiani, master of sports.

4. Beknu Khergiani, Honored Master of Sports.

5. Maxim Gvarliani, Honored Master of Sports.

6. Chichiko Chartolani, Honored Master of Sports.

7. Goji Zurebiani, Honored Master of Sports.

8. Almatsgil Kvitsiani.

The younger generation of Svan climbers:

1. Joseph Kakhiani, Honored Master of Sports.

2. Mikhail Khergiani, Honored Master of Sports.

3. Grisha Gulbani, master of sports.

4. Iliko Gabliani, master of sports.

5. Jokia Gugava, master of sports.

6. Sozar Gugava, master of sports.

7. Shaliko Margiani, master of sports.

8. Mikhail Khergiani (junior) master of sports.

9. Jumber Kahiani, master of sports.

10. Givi Tserediani, master of sports.

11. Boris Gvarliani, master of sports.

12. Valiko Gvarmiani, master of sports.

13. Otar (Konstantin) Dadeshkeliani, master of sports.

Some of these lists are no longer alive today. If we take into account that among the men a certain and considerable part is made up of children and old people, then, according to the roughest estimates, it turns out that for every 200 - 300 adult men of Upper Svaneti there is one master or honored master of sports in mountaineering. You won't find anything like this in any other mountainous country world, including in Nepal.

In Upper Svaneti, drivers and, especially, pilots are considered respected people - people who connect the country with outside world, give her life. There are also many Svan pilots. But you will not meet anyone here who is so warm, so love relationship, as for climbers. A good climber, in the view of the Svans, is a real man.

The glory of climbers in Upper Svaneti is associated with Ushba, a peak rising above Mestia. The same V. Ya. Teptsov wrote in his book: “Ushba Peak is known among the Svans as the abode of the unclean. Not a single Svanet would dare climb its slopes because of the superstitious fear of going to hell.”

Photo by Zaur Chartolani

That's how it used to be. The Svans rarely approached Ushba; many superstitions and legends were associated with its impregnable walls.

At the end of the past and the beginning this century Foreign climbers are trying to conquer the world-famous peak. In England, even the “Ushbist Club” was created. Its members were English climbers who visited Ushba. Now there is only one member in this club - very an old man, a school teacher named Khodchkin. When our climbers are in last time were in England, Zhenya Gippenreiter presented Mr. Khodchkin with an award badge “For climbing Ushba.” The eighty-year-old man could not hold back his tears.

At that time, almost all attempts to climb Ushba ended in failure. From 1888 to 1936, only five foreign athletes visited the northern peak of Ushba, and only ten foreign athletes climbed the southern peak, and more than 60 people stormed this peak. Over the past fifty years, many tragedies have taken place on its slopes.

In 1906, two Englishmen come to Svaneti and declare their desire to climb to the top of Ushba. They are looking for a guide, but not a single Svan agrees to cross the border of Dali’s possessions. However, there is a new Betkil, the brave hunter Muratbi Kibolani. He boldly leads the British along steep cliffs and reaches both peaks of the terrible Ushba. Although this time there was no meeting with the goddess Dali, one of the Englishmen died during the descent.

The Svans could not believe that people had visited the top of Ushba. Then Kibolani, taking firewood with him, climbed to the top alone and lit a fire there. A severe competition between the Svans and the impregnable peak began.

Among the first Soviet people who visited Ushba, there was also a Svan, his name was Gio Niguriani. For four years, a group of Georgian climbers led by Alyosha Japaridze attempted to climb, and only in 1934, four Soviet people - Alyosha and Alexandra Japaridze (the first Georgian climber), Yagor Kazalikashvili and Gio Niguriani - lit a fire at the top of the bicorne.

In the 1930s, mountain climbing took on a sporting character. Alpine skiing is also beginning to develop in Svaneti.

“One winter,” says Vissarion Khergiani, “we heard that seven Russians were coming towards us through the Tviber pass. That they have sleighs on their feet and the Russians can ride very quickly on these sleighs in the snow. We didn't believe it until we saw it ourselves.

It's a small world. On May 1, in the "Ai" cafe, its participant Alexey Aleksandrovich Maleinov, Honored Master of Sports, told me about this campaign. Chief Engineer construction of Elbrus sports complex. This first crossing of the Caucasus ridge on skis was headed by the same doctor A. A. Zhemchuzhnikov, who had just treated Misha after a collision with an uncontrollable tourist.

“All of Mestia gathered,” said Vissarion. - The Russians showed us how to ski down the mountains. Everyone laughed a lot, and then they said: “Let Vissarion try.” They gave me skis, I put them on, went far, far and did not fall. When the Russians left, Gabriel, Maxim, and I made skis out of boards and began walking in the deep snow towards each other. And then we took and crossed the Bashil pass on our skis.

from the M. Khergiani Museum, photo by R. Kochetkov

After this, the Svans were sent to courses in Nalchik, and then to a mountaineering school, which was located in the current mountain camp "Dzhantugan" in Kabardino-Balkaria.

It was very difficult for us,” says Vissarion, “we did not know the Russian language and could not understand what they wanted from us. We always walked on ice without steps and did not know what insurance was. But then we got used to the ice ax and rope, learned to walk on crampons and hammer in pitons. This has become convenient and familiar to us.

And in 1937, the same year when the first wheel was seen in Upper Svaneti, sports group, consisting entirely of Svans, rises to South Ushba. The participants in this ascent almost all belonged to the Khergiani family, these were Vissarion Khergiani and Maxim Gvarliani, their relatives Gabriel and Beknu Khergiani and Chichiko Chartolani. Not without incident, Gabriel and Vissarion flew into a crack: the fragile rope broke; The Svans climbed directly, far from the easiest path, and ended up on a very difficult section of rocks. But everything ended well. This was the first Soviet wall ascent, the first ascent that brought the Svans the fame of real climbers. Mountaineering has become a national sport in Svaneti.

South Ushba, photo by Vakho Naveriani

Continuation

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:)) Look what I photographed in the M. Khergiani Museum.