15 August 2022, 11:29
North-Ossetian residents outraged by tourists' photos from "City of the Dead"
After tourists have posted in social networks their photos with the remains of those buried in the Dargavs Necropolis, residents of North Ossetia have again demanded from authorities to close the "City of the Dead" for visiting.
The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in August 2021, a video filmed by a female tourist in the “City of the Dead” complex provoked a wide public outcry. The young woman is suspected of abusing human remains. The suspect complained about receiving threats on social media and explained her behaviour by ignorance and confidence that bones were a fake.
The architectural and ethnographic “City of the Dead” complex located near the village of Dargavs in the Prigorodny District of North Ossetia includes 97 crypts of the 14-18th centuries and is under the protection of UNESCO. This is the largest necropolis in Northern Caucasus.
The photos taken outside and inside the "City of the Dead" were posted on August 12 in the "VKontakte" social network. Among other things, the photos show human remains, skulls and bones.
In their comments to the post, some social network users have condemned the author. "At the entrance, guides are warning tourists that they should not either climb into the burial places, or even look into them. But you can't stop our people. Some smart guys disturb the ashes of the dead; they take out their bones as souvenirs. No respect for the dead, no fear for their future," the user Svetlana Menshikova, wrote, in particular.
The administrator of the "Mash Gor" Telegram channel has drawn attention to the post. "Residents of North Ossetia are again calling to close the 'City of the Dead' in Dargavs – another curious tourist with a camera has climbed into the crypts. This time he posted his photos from inside in the social network," the administrator wrote, posting retouched photos in his post.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 14, 2022 at 06:24 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: The Caucasian Knot