North Ossetia Dargavs City of the Dead

Dargavs City of the Dead
A place called the City of the Dead actually exists in Russia’s North Ossetia, hidden in one of the five mountain ridges that cross the region. However, to reach Dargavs, the City of the Dead, you need a three-hour journey through winding, narrow roads, and several hills. The city itself is, in fact, an ancient Ossetian cemetery of 97 different types of crypts. Each family of the area has a crypt, and the higher the structure, the greater the number of people buried in it. Noteworthy, the oldest of the crypts dates back to the 16th century. Meanwhile, some towers is a striking example of the Ossetian stone architecture. And the construction of such towers could afford only the most wealthy families.

Inhabited in ancient times, the village dates back to the Bronze Age. That’s why archaeologists find here lots of sites, including the Alan burial of the end of the first millennium AD. In fact, Dargavs was one of the main centers of formation of Tagaurian mountain community. According to historical and genealogical legends, here lived Taga Prince, founder of the genera and families, referring to the upper class of East Ossetia.

North Ossetia Dargavs City of the Dead

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