Symbolic Use of Domestic Space in the Upper Svanetian (Georgia) Vernacular House

Upper Svaneti, a remote region in Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains, has preserved ancient cultural traditions and rituals, including those tied to gender-specific domestic spaces. Research reveals that the traditional Svanetian house (machubi), characterized by its single-volume design, uses its central fireplace as a symbolic axis dividing male and female spaces within the machub (ground floor). This study, part of the 3DPast project, employs architectonic survey and documentary analysis to interpret these spatial dynamics through space anthropology. The findings highlight how isolation and military settlement structures in Upper Svaneti contributed to the preservation of archaic practices, such as animal sacrifices and blood feuds, while also shaping gendered domestic rituals—particularly those performed by women. The machub’s design reflects a layered cultural history, blending practical living needs with deep-rooted symbolic meanings.

Sousa, G., & Alcindor, M. (2020). SYMBOLIC USE OF DOMESTIC SPACE IN THE UPPER SVANETIAN (GEORGIA) VERNACULAR HOUSE. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XLIV-M-1-2020, 95–100. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xliv-m-1-2020-95-2020