Anatori Plague Crypts

Anatori is a remote spot in the high Khevsureti region of north-eastern Georgia, near the Argun river gorge and the settlements of Shatili and Mutso, close to the border with Chechnya. Here stand a group of stone burial crypts, low vaulted structures built into the mountainside. According to long-held local tradition, during outbreaks of plague the afflicted would withdraw to these crypts to isolate themselves from their community, entering while still alive so as not to spread the disease and remaining until they died. Skeletal remains are still visible within some of the vaults.

Such a place, tied to plague, self-sacrifice and visible human remains, inevitably attracts a sombre, uncanny reputation. That mood is understandable, but the crypts are treated here as a poignant historical and funerary site; the stories around them are folklore and should not overshadow the real suffering and communal ethic they represent.

The Anatori crypts are a striking record of how isolated mountain communities confronted epidemic disease, and of the harsh realities of life in Khevsureti. Set within a dramatic and little-visited landscape near the medieval fortress-village of Shatili, they form part of a rich cultural heritage of highland Georgia that deserves careful and respectful preservation.

The Anatori crypts lie in a remote highland border area reached by a difficult mountain road that is generally passable only in the warmer months and often requires a capable vehicle. There are no formal visitor facilities; the site is usually seen in combination with a visit to nearby Shatili, and travellers should be prepared for isolation, changeable weather and limited services.

The crypts contain human remains and are a burial site, so respectful behaviour is essential: visitors should not enter, disturb or handle the remains or structures, and should photograph with discretion. Because this is a frontier zone, it is also wise to check current access and any border-permit requirements before travelling.