Behind the ruins: the informal acquisition of abandoned properties and its legacy in contemporary Abkhazia

This paper explores the legacy of the informal right of trophy acquisition of real estate in the contested state of Abkhazia. Known as the zaniato principle (lit. taken or occupied), it became widespread during and after the Georgian-Abkhaz war in 1992-1993, which resulted in a mass flight of the Georgian population from Abkhazia and a large-scale redistribution of the abandoned properties among the remaining residents. On a ‘first come, first served’ basis, people entered empty homes and claimed ownership by writing zaniato (often followed by the surname of the occupier) in Russian at the entrance gate or on the walls of a dwelling. Historically, it can be linked to military traditions of looting and trophy taking, now prohibited under international law. Although it occurred primarily in the immediate post-war period, , the effects of the practice continue to linger on. Drawing on data collected during long-term ethnographic fieldwork, this paper focuses on a particular legacy: the ruination of Abkhazia’s built environment, which can only partially be explained by wartime destruction. The ubiquity of ruins and abandoned, overgrown spaces has become a defining feature of Abkhazia’s landscape. While many abandoned houses appear ownerless because of their decrepit state, most of them are in fact taken rather than simply a ‘dead matter’ (Stoler 2008). Although the de facto authorities officially nationalised many abandoned buildings after the war, by that time the majority had already been informally claimed. As their ownership remains disputed, numerous buildings – including architectural icons – are left to decay. Exploring the informal dynamics behind these buildings, the aim of the paper is to highlight how Abkhazia’s poor socio-economic recovery over the twenty-eight years that have passed since the end of the war in 1993 cannot be explained exclusively by external factors as the lack of international recognition due to its disputed status. Instead, it is also a result of internal dynamics, including ongoing property disputes. As a civil society activist put it, ‘it is thanks to the “occupied” principle that half of the country is still in ruins. [...] how many decades must pass for the state to finally put things in order in this area?’