98 
ANNANOUR. 
The town of Annanour stands at the foot of one of the moun¬ 
tains of the south-western branch of Kumlis Zighe, which range 
forms the right bank of the Aragua. It is a place of antiquity, 
and once was considerable for its population and military 
strength. It is now reduced to a few deplorable-looking huts, 
some of which are shops; and, at first view, this circumstance 
gave a strange, inconsistent show of animation to so miserable a 
remnant of departed life. But, on nearer communication, I 
found the inhabitants to be more civilised, to have more social 
intercourse amongst themselves, than in any place I had seen 
since I entered Asia ; and, what is the best proof, here alone I 
found the people of a mountain-settlement who excluded rapine 
and plunder from their means of subsistence. Annanour still 
possesses the remains of a noble church, which stands within the 
walls of a castle, whose once proud towers are sinking as quickly 
to decay. The architectural decorations on the sacred structure, 
must have been a work of great skill and labour; crosses, and 
stone-work, carved in the most ingenious manner, ornamenting 
the whole exterior of the building. On each side of the semi¬ 
circular door-way, which leads to the interior, are various in¬ 
scriptions, in the ancient Georgian character; this having been, 
in those times, a favourite strong-hold or sanctuary for Georgia. 
Whenever Tiflis was threatened with an attack from Persia, or 
the Turk, Annanour was commonly the spot, as most secure, 
whither the females of the reigning family were sent; and with 
them the most valuable of the sovereign’s property. Amongst 
the latter, at one time the renowned relic of the Georgians, the 
Cross of St. Nunia was deposited. This highly-prized relic 
was formed of vine-branches, bound together by the long hair 
of the fair saint. At present it reposes in the great church of 
Tiflis. 
