Turkey
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Local Woman Making Sheep Cheese. Eastern Turkey.
A local woman living next to the ruins of Ani prepares sheep milk to be turned into cheese. Locals living in this region still live in many ways their ancestors have for hundreds of years. This woman prepares the cheese in the big metal basin and then stores it in the sheep skin to curdle and become cheese.
Nicknamed the City of 1001 Churches, the main Ani complex is still partly surrounded by its fortification walls. These walls are thick, with towers and battlements. At it's peak of power, Ani had over 100,000 inhabitants. Near Kars, eastern Turkey.
Herder. Plains around Ani, Eastern Turkey.
A herder grazes his cattle on the plains around the ancient ruins of Ani. The plains are at high altitudes, many ranging between 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level. Many of these herders and farmers have lived and worked in the land disputed between Armenia and Turkey. Even living on a disputed land their daily life continues much the same. They practice traditional herding techniques that go back hundreds of years. These herders will graze their animals in the site of Ani early in the morning before the site officially opens to tourists.
An abandoned guard tower outside the main wall of Ani stands as a reminder of the Russian-Armenian-Turkish conflict along these borders in recent years. Until, 2013 travelers could not visit this region. The ruins of Ani are still under contention between the Turkish and Armenian governments.An abandoned guard tower outside the main wall of Ani stands as a reminder of the Russian-Armenian-Turkish conflict along these borders in recent years. Until, 2013 travelers could not visit this region. The ruins of Ani are still under contention between the Turkish and Armenian governments. Off in the distance are the hills of Armenia.