He kept his family safe in the base of their stone tower, but dozens of others died across Svaneti that winter—and the exodus began. As more Svan families emigrated to lowland Georgia ...

But Svaneti itself was never touched ... “We have fewer Europeans and Americans this winter, but the same amount from Slavic countries, Russia, and Central Asia.” But life mostly goes on ...

The origins of Svaneti tower houses go back to prehistory ... The harsh environmental conditions, lack of access during long winter periods, and inappropriate repair techniques applied to maintain the ...