The Feast-Day of Tamar and Lashari 1998

Overview

The Pshavi people of the eastern mountains of the Republic of Georgia perform a ritual which can be characterized as a syncretism of ancient polytheistic beliefs and Orthodox Christian faith, but which is qualified by city habitants of Tbilisi as "pagan". The ritual of Tamar and Lashari celebrates queen Tamar (12-13th century) and her son Lasha, deified by the mountain dwellers. Each year, and for three days, on the hillside of a Caucasus valley, pilgrims consecutively meet at two sanctuaries c