Ossetian graffiti on the buildings in upper Big Liakhva basin

The expedition in 2023 studied graffiti in one of the regions of South Ossetia, in 20 main villages of 6 neighboring gorges. Usually, they were placed on the clan / linige towers. 3 towers of two neighboring villages in Erman (on which graffiti including 4-5 tamga-signs were on each corner or wall) were the particularly interesting. They were the family sanctuaries. In these villages the tamgas were on all the surviving towers. The tamgas continued to be actively used after the fall of the monarchy in Russia. Most often, graffiti-tamgas were used by migrants from the northern Kurtaty Community. The features of placement on buildings of the main images of local graffiti, which differ markedly, are considered. There was a partial continuity of the places of application and the range of graffiti images from the ancient Sarmatians and medieval Alans.