Svaneti სვანეთი | |
|---|---|
 The historic region of Svaneti in Georgia | |
| Coordinates:42°54′59″N43°00′41″E / 42.91639°N 43.01139°E /42.91639; 43.01139 | |
| Country |  Georgia |
| Mkhare | Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Abkhazia |
| Capital | Mestia,Lentekhi |
| Area | |
• Total | 5,776.4 km2 (2,230.3 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 23,000 |
| • Density | 4.0/km2 (10/sq mi) |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 Chazhashi in 2016 | |
 Interactive map of Upper Svaneti | |
| Location | Chazhashi |
| Criteria | Cultural: iv, v |
| Reference | 709 |
| Inscription | 1996 (20thSession) |
| Area | 1.06 ha |
| Buffer zone | 19.16 ha |
| Coordinates | 42°54′27″N43°0′39″E / 42.90750°N 43.01083°E /42.90750; 43.01083 |
  Svaneti Location of Svaneti in Georgia  Svaneti Svaneti (West and Central Asia) Show map of West and Central Asia | |
Svaneti (Svan: შუ̂ან, ლემშუ̂ანიერა;shwan, lemshwaniera, andSuania in ancient sources;Georgian:სვანეთი[ˈs̪ʷän̪e̞t̪ʰi]Svaneti) is a province in the northwestern part ofGeorgia. Running along theGreater Caucasus range, Svaneti is one of the most mountainous regions of Georgia. It is largely inhabited by theSvans, an ethnic subgroup ofGeorgians.
= Upper Svaneti
= Lower Svaneti
= Kodori valley which also has a Svan populationSituated on the southern slopes of the centralCaucasus Mountains and surrounded by 3,000–5,000 meter peaks, Svaneti is the highest inhabited area in theCaucasus. Four of the 10 highest peaks of theCaucasus are located in the region. The highest mountain in Georgia, MountShkhara at 5,201 meters (17,064 feet), is located in the province. Prominent peaks includeTetnuldi (4,974 metres; 16,319 feet), Shota Rustaveli (4,960 metres; 16,270 feet), MountUshba (4,710 metres; 15,450 feet),Ailama (4,525 metres; 14,846 feet), as well asLalveri,Latsga and others.
Svaneti has two parts corresponding to two inhabited valleys:
They are separated by theSvaneti Range which is almost as high as the main Caucasus range. Historical Svaneti also included theKodori Gorge in the adjoining rebel province ofAbkhazia, and part of the adjacent river valleys ofKuban andBaksan north of the crest of the Caucasus. Writing in 1848, Bodenstedt said that Upper Svaneti could only be reached by a difficult footpath that was closed in winter.[1]
The landscape of Svaneti is dominated by mountains that are separated by deep gorges. Most of the region which lies below 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) above sea level is covered by mixed andconiferous forests. The forest zone is made up of tree species such asspruce,fir,beech,oak, andhornbeam. Other species that are less common but may still be found in some areas includechestnut,birch,maple,pine andbox. The zone which extends from 1,800 meters to roughly about 3,000 meters (5,904–9,840 ft) above sea level consists of alpine meadows and grasslands. Eternal snows and glaciers take over in areas that are over 3,000 meters above sea level. The region is notable for its glaciers and picturesque summits. Svaneti's signature peak is probably MountUshba which towers over the Inguri Gorge and can be seen from many parts of the region.
The climate of Svaneti is humid and is influenced by the air masses coming in from theBlack Sea throughout the year. Average temperatures and precipitation vary considerably with elevation. Annual precipitation ranges between 1,000 and 3,200 mm (39 and 126 in). The highest amount of precipitation falls on theGreater Caucasus Mountains. The region is characterized by very heavy snowfall in the winter andavalanches are a frequent occurrence. Snow cover may reach 5 meters (16 feet) in some areas. In general, the lowest regions of Svaneti (800–1,200 meters (2,600–3,900 ft) above sea level) are characterized by long, warm summers and relatively cold and snowy winters. Middle altitudes (1200–1800 meters above sea level) experience relatively warm summers and cold winters. Areas above 2000 meters above sea level lie within a zone that experiences short, cool summers (less than 3 months) and long and cold winters. Large parts of Svaneti lie above 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) above sea level, a zone that does not have a real summer. Due to Svaneti's close proximity to the Black Sea, the region is spared from the extremely cold winter temperatures that are characteristic of high mountains.
The Svans are usually identified with theSoanes mentioned byGreekgeographerStrabo, who placed them more or less in the area still occupied by the modern-day Svans.[2] The province had been a dependency ofColchis, and of its successor kingdom ofLazica (Egrisi) untilAD 552, when the Svans took advantage of theLazic War, repudiated this connection and went over to thePersians.[3]The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity notes that "this seems to have reflected a general Suanian preference for the alliance to Persia, set against a Lazican preference for Roman alliance, which was to remain a point of tension until the Arab conquests".[3] TheByzantines wanted the region, for if they secured its passes, they could prevent Persian raids on the border areas of Lazica. With the end of the war (562), Svanetia again became part of Lazica. Then, the province joined theKingdom of Abkhazia (John andAdarnase of the Shavliani dynasty, 871–893) to form a unified monarchy which was incorporated into theKingdom of Georgia in the early 11th century. Svanetia became a duchy (saeristavo) within it, governed by a duke (eristavi). The province'sOrthodox culture flourished particularly during theGeorgian “golden age” under QueenTamar (r. 1184–1213), who was respected almost as a goddess by the Svanetians. The legend has it that the duchy was annually visited by Tamar. The Svans had been known as fierce warriors for centuries. Their inflatable war banner was namedLemi (Lion) because of its shape.
The maraudingMongols never reached Svanetia and, for a time, the region became a cultural safe house. Following the finaldisintegration of the Kingdom of Georgia in the 1460s, fighting broke out for controlling the province. Part of Upper Svanetia formed an independentPrincipality of Svaneti under the PrincesDadeshkeliani, a branch of theHouse of Gelovani, while Lower Svanetia, originally ruled by the Princes Gelovani, was temporarily usurped and subdued by theMingrelian princesDadiani. Facing serious internal conflict, Prince Tsioq’Dadeshkeliani of Svanetia signed a treaty of protectorate with theRussian Empire on November 26, 1833. Difficult to access, the region retained significant autonomy until 1857, when Russia took advantage of the dynastic feud in Svanetia and effectively abolished the principality's autonomy. In 1875, the Russians toughened their rule by imposing additional taxes. Protests ensued, andRussia deployed troops against the province. Despite having suffered heavy losses, the Russian army units eventually crushed the rebels burning their stronghold Khalde to the ground in 1876.
Part of theRussian governorate ofKutais, Svanetia was divided into tworaions (districts) —Mestia (former Sethi) andLentekhi — under theSoviet rule. The unsuccessful anti-SovietSvaneti uprising took place in the region in 1921.
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In 1987,avalanches destroyed several homes and killed at least 80, many of them schoolchildren. In the aftermath the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and theCouncil of Ministers of the Soviet Union passed a decree to resettle some 2,500 families to districts of eastern Georgia (eco-migration toMarneuli,Tetritskaro,Bolnisi,Sagarejo,Gardabani,Dmanisi,Kaspi,Tskaltubo,Khoni,Ozurgeti, andLanchkhuti rayons).[4] The end of theSoviet Union and subsequentGeorgian Civil War created severe socioeconomic problems in the region. While the Svanetian population resisted the unpleasant conditions of the high mountain environment they lived in for centuries, the increasing economic difficulties of the last two decades and frequent natural disasters —floods andlandslides as of April 2005 ([1]) have brought about a strong tendency towards migration. The province became a safe haven for criminals threatening local residents and tourists. Large-scale anti-criminal operations carried out by the Georgian Special Forces as of March 2004[5] resulted in significant improvement of the situation.
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TheSvans, the indigenous population of Svaneti, are an ethnic subgroup of theGeorgians. In the Russian Empire and early Soviet UnionMingrelians and Svans had their own census grouping, but were classified under the broader category of Georgian in the 1930s.[6] They areGeorgian Orthodox Christians, and were Christianized in the 4th–6th centuries. However, some remnants of pre-Christian beliefs have been maintained.Saint George (known asJgëræg to the locals), apatron saint ofGeorgia, is the most respected saint.[7] The Svans have retained many of their old traditions, includingblood revenge, although this tradition has been declining over time and as law enforcement takes hold. Their families are small, and the husband is the head of his family. The Svan strongly respect the older women in families.[8]
Typically bilingual, they use bothGeorgian and their own, unwrittenSvan language, which together with the Georgian,Mingrelian, andLaz languages constitute theSouth Caucasian or Kartvelian language family.
Svanetia is known for its architectural treasures and picturesque landscapes. TheSvanetian tower houses, erected mainly in the 9th-12th centuries, make the region's villages more attractive. With a high quantity of these unique houses and exceptional preservation of a medieval rural village, the community ofUshguli in Upper Svaneti was listed as aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 1996.[9]
Svan songs and dances are notable cultural traditions. Svanetia boasts arguably the most archaicthree-part polyphonic singing. Most of their songs are connected to round dances, are performed very loudly and are full of dissonant chords.[10]
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Svaneti travel guide from WikivoyageHistorical regions ofGeorgia | ||
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| Abkhazia |  | |
| Adjara | ||
| Guria | ||
| Imereti | ||
| Kakheti | ||
| Kvemo Kartli | ||
| Mtskheta-Mtianeti | ||
| Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti | ||
| Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti | ||
| Shida Kartli | ||
| Tao-Klarjeti | ||
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
