Roshka Boulders Guide: Glacial Stones, Valley and Route

One of the most mountainous and permanently inhabited villages of Georgia, Roshka is located on the southeastern slope of the Chaukheb massif of the Greater Caucasus watershed ridge. It is in the upper reaches of the Roshkistskali River (right tributary of the Khevsur Aragvi). The valley of the Roshka has well preserved traces of old glaciation processes. In the geological past the length of the glacier exceeded 11 km. It advanced southeastward through the Roska valley and overlapped the valley of the Khevsur Aragvi. The end of the glacier was near the village of Gelisvake, at an altitude of 1450 m above sea level (now this place has risen to a height of 1650 m).

From the Chauch Mountains, the Abudelaury Glacier descended into the Roshka two huge blocks. Which are among the largest moving blocks in the world. Their dimensions are 19x5x7 and 22x13x10 (length, width, height). The blocks consist of igneous rock - diabase. Compared to these blocks, the dwellings of Hevsureti seem like toy houses. Above the village there are much larger blocks: the size of the "Split Stone" is 25x10x11.

Relatively smaller, but very impressive glacial boulders are scattered in large quantities along the upper part of the Abudelauri valley, as well as below Roshka - along the valley of the Khevsuri Aragvi River. The lower (southern) boundaries of these blocks almost reach the mouth of the Oherekhevi River. All these blocks came down from the Chaukh massif. This massif is referred to in the oral folklore of the Khevsurs, Mtiyuls and Mokhevs as Rocky Mountain.