a western find

A trove of letters dating to World War One was found yesterday in the ruins of an old fort. Made secure in the late 1600s by Yaelong tribespeople seeking to fend off Rus invaders, the area saw little conflict during the War to End All Wars. It served instead as a transfer-station for the intelligence wing of the Krukuv Anarchist Legion, a people’s army that defended the nation until 1956, when it was all but crushed by Warsaw Pact (Soviet) forces. Nestled in the western fringes of the Yiptlong massif, the Chach’rrash pass - where the letters were found - is a windswept, nightmarish climb through fields of boulders and loess beds alike. The pastoral highland regions nearby feature many attractions, among them prehistoric cave paintings, winter sports, and a number of winter solstice festivals. Due to the age and condition of the letters, few details have emerged about what they contain. Researchers at the Grigovian Institute of Cultural Studies, where preservation efforts are underway, hope to know more soon.

© JPR / whorphan / americanifesto / 場黑麥