The Svans

[Shepherd]

The Svans (Georgian: სვანი, Svani) are an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians living mostly in Svaneti, a region in northwest Georgia. They speak the Svan language and are mostly bilingual also in Georgian. Both these languages belong to the Kartvelian language family.


Here are some Svans

http://s006.radikal.ru/i213/1405/e1/244e1b34b438.jpg
http://www.villageharmony.org/Zedashe2007/downloads/shalva.jpg
http://i062.radikal.ru/1405/28/a690f8f2d662.jpg
http://s020.radikal.ru/i721/1405/3b/82e980f7f72f.jpg
http://s018.radikal.ru/i520/1405/ee/d091dd6f3853.jpg
http://i054.radikal.ru/1405/54/97daf96bca30.jpg
http://i053.radikal.ru/1405/08/558557cc4049.jpg
http://i056.radikal.ru/1405/5e/22a7610eda87.jpg

[Shepherd]

Phenotypically, Svans are lighter, taller, and more Dinaroform than average Georgians due to living in high mountains with little sunshine

http://svaneti.ru/_ph/7/2/282542746.jpg
http://s020.radikal.ru/i710/1405/15/41bf1f6bf45a.jpg
http://s019.radikal.ru/i606/1405/d3/b44379b3e6f7.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Old_peasant_with_dagger_and_long_smoking_pipe%2C_M estia%2C_Svanetia%2C_Georgia_%28Republic%29.jpg/640px-Old_peasant_with_dagger_and_long_smoking_pipe%2C_M estia%2C_Svanetia%2C_Georgia_%28Republic%29.jpg
http://i024.radikal.ru/1405/9a/96dd0415d0d0.jpg
http://i055.radikal.ru/1405/d4/40e46757b0c5.jpg
http://svaneti.ru/_ph/1/2/622894952.jpg
http://svaneti.ru/_ph/10/2/739634546.jpg

[Shepherd]

The Svans have retained many of their old traditions, including blood revenge (although this tradition has been declining over time, as law enforcement takes hold).


http://i.imgur.com/j7yVM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/T4uxu.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ljoc9aN.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VbquwDQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/awaXgVp.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2uNGPF0.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/G0ao5xu.jpg

[Shepherd]

Their families are small, and the husband is the head of his family. The Svan strongly respect the older women in families.

http://i019.radikal.ru/1405/e9/6c4ee3322736.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/RN33dyW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/khxk52Y.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/xYTVdcF.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/1XiugaA.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/7HVg3ex.jpg

[Shepherd]

Svan culture survives most wonderfully in its songs and round dances. Svaneti boasts archaic three part polyphony, known as chordal unit polyphony, with strong dissonant harmonies.

http://www.natgeocreative.com/comp/MM8/204/2169856.jpg
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fpNlFoaXypw/hqdefault.jpg