Tsopi is a remote and a pretty isolated village located in south Georgia, in the Marneuli district of Kvemo Kartli region, near the Georgia-Armenia border, 7 km west from Sadakhlo. There is no much public transportation between Sadakhlo and Tsopi especial
Women of Tsopi are mostly tied to household chores. They are rarely seen in the streets, however, during the public events they go outside. The group of women are walking to their neighbor’s funeral.
As vehicle is a must-have for villagers to survive and connect to the outside world, there can be found quite a big car repair service in Tsopi.
For ethnic Azeris, sheep is a main livestock. A sheep eating a corn from its owner’s hand.
Before new year an ethnic Azeri is pulling his sheep to the slaughter place.
Garages. The apartments were built specially for marble quarry workers in early 1950’s.
Tsopi has a population of around 700 of which 80% is ethnic Azeri and almost 20% ethnic Armenian who not only coexist side by side peacefully, but also speak each other’s language. There are only 2 or 3 Georgian and Greek remaining families in the village
The dilapidated school of Tsopi which is due to be renovated in the nearest future is the only public institution that allows locals to be officially employed.
The marble quarry stopped working in the early 90’s. It used to be the main source of income for the villagers during the soviet period.
This mountain was subject to numerous explosions in order to extract marble from it.
This tumbledown building overlooking the village is where they used to cut and polish marble. A cableway was connecting the building to Sadakhlo to transport the marble.
With the marble quarry no longer working, ethnic Azeri men have no choice but to seek temporary work in Azerbaijan while their Armenian neighbors look to Armenia or any number of cities in Russia. Eitibar Valiev, ethnic Azeri, who worked as a driver for t
The Valievs, an ethnic Azeri family. As there is no gas in the village, the locals bring firewood from the nearest forest. Many Tsopivillagers survive on money sent from abroad by relatives help the residents survive.
Vania Petrosian, an ethnic Armenian, with his hunting puppies.
A proud ethnic Azeri grandfather with his grandchildren.
Kamil is a 15-year-old teenager who was born and raised in Tsopi but now lives in Russia with his parents. He comes back to the village to see his grandparents on holidays.
Fenia Avakian, 78-year-old ethnic Armenian.
Gurgen Miskarian, 80-years-old retired ethnic Armenian, used to work in reconnaissance when he was young.
Gurgen and his wife, have all their children working in Russia.
Ethnic Azeri and ethnic Armenian neighbors often visit each other and live as one family.
All the food in a family is prepared on/in ovens.
Katip Aliev, an ethnic Azeri, born in Armenia, has his children working in Azerbaijan.
Just 2 kms south of Tsopi there is a border line, so the Armenia mountains in the background are overlooking the village.
Not far from Tsopi there is another village Khojorni that has reversed percentage of ethnicity - 80% Armenian and 20% Azeri who also live in peace.
