Ennobling the natural spring in "Koala" together with the people of the complex.

Acting Director of the Jeirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve Ahmedkhan Sampiyev together with the staff made a tour of the tower complex "Salgi".

The tower complex of Salgi (Salg) is a castle type on the crest of a mountain range at the beginning of the Salgin (Chulkhoy) gorge, on the right bank of the Chulkhi River. The exact date of construction of the tower complex Salgi is unknown – it is believed that it belongs to the late Middle Ages. The village occupies a strategically important position, closing the passage to the villages of the gorge along the lower path facing Georgia. Now there are 12 buildings, two military, ten residential towers with various stone extensions and defensive walls of the late Middle Ages. Most of the buildings are now in ruins.

According to legend, Salgi was built by immigrants from the village of Magote, located nearby on a mountain range. In the late Middle Ages, Salgi was the administrative, political and cultural center of the Chulkhoy Gorge. He was famous for his high-quality blacksmiths and weapons (bows, crossbows, checkers), connoisseurs of traditional medicine and natural phenomena, wise priests and priests (for example, Maha Dzaurov is known), brave warriors-riders. On the southern side of the village of Salgi, on the mountain slope, local residents until the middle of the XIX century actively mined nitrate, which was used for the preparation of different grade gunpowder. Along with samples of hand flint firearms, gunpowder was skillfully made by skilled craftsmen of the Salgi village. Blacksmiths worked in the village, women weaved canvases, pottery flourished (the results of archaeological excavations are evidence of this).

There were on the territory of the village and priests conducting ceremonies in the local sanctuaries, and healers who treated their fellow tribesmen from many ailments, medicinal herbs that were collected in spring and summer in the surrounding meadows.

The castle complex of Magote, located on the top of Zagal-Duk, located 1,100 m southeast of Salga, is territorially connected with this aul. By the way, the villages constantly gave each other signals about the danger with the help of special towers, if such a need arose.

From a strategic point of view, the tower complex of Salga is ideally located, as mentioned above, it literally closes the entrance to the Chulkhoi Canyon, which is otherwise called the Salgin Gorge.

Based on the results of the work, acts of the technical condition of the facilities will be drawn up and sent to higher organizations.

In continuation of the planned work on the identification and accounting of previously unrecorded objects of cultural heritage, field work was carried out in Upper Ozdika to include collective tombs of the Middle Ages in the list of identified objects of cultural heritage of the Republic of Ingushetia. Within the village, not far from the tower complex, previously unrecorded crypt burials in the amount of 7 pieces were recorded.

As you know, the crypt is an above-ground or underground room intended for the burial of the dead, was called to life in the mountainous area due to the acute lack of land. They are made of unhewn stones, on lime, have a yellow lining and manholes in each tier, through which they dragged the dead. Depending on the number of tiers, the manholes are located on all sides of the crypt, serving as an entrance to each tier, also small through holes are often found in the walls, providing ventilation, thanks to which natural mummification of the remains occurred. Also, when plague or other contagious disease raged in the mountains, infected people went to die in such crypts to avoid infecting others. Taking with them a small amount of food, they were isolated in this crypt, where they either died or recovered to their former life.

Crypts for the Ingush served as the same tower, only in another world, so they were built thoroughly and very carefully. “Man needs a tower in life, and after death – a crypt” – said our ancestors.

Some of the objects considered were collapsed, and some of them retained a large construction volume and some structural details.

The described objects will be included in the list of identified objects of cultural heritage of the republic.

Acting Director of the Jeirakh-Assin Museum-Reserve Ahmedkhan Sampiyev, together with his colleagues, made a tour of the Doshkhakle tower complex, where preparatory work aimed at preserving cultural heritage sites will begin very soon.

The tower complex of Doshkhakle is a castle-type tower settlement on the spur of Tsei Lam mountain in the Galgaev gorge of high-mountain Ingushetia. It now houses a heavily damaged six-story battle tower in a complex with 8 semi-ruined residential towers and a stone defensive wall from the late Middle Ages.

The battle tower, located in the center of the castle, in terms of square, reached a height of 28 meters and had a stepped-pyramidal roof, which was literally cut off by lightning in 1958. With its vaulted doorway leading directly to the second floor, it is oriented to the southeast. Residential towers of the castle complex in terms of rectangular or trapezoidal, had 2-3 floors, a flat roof with a high parapet. In their preserved parts of the walls, you can see different types of vaulted door and window openings, economic and defensive niches, loopholes, stones-conjugation and other structural details. One of the towers was skillfully adapted for a weapons workshop, in which local highly experienced artisans produced high-quality sabers, checkers, daggers and different grade gunpowder.

1.5 km west of the village of Doshkhakle, on the southern slope is fixed already semi-ruined large temple-sanctuary "Dyala" of the late Middle Ages. There are also cyclopean structures on the territory of the complex.

Based on the results of the work, acts of the technical condition of the facilities will be drawn up and sent to higher organizations.

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Many Caucasian scholars of the North Caucasus, including E.I. Krupnov, I.V. Shcheblykin, V.I. Morkovin, L.P. Semenov and others have repeatedly noted that the ancestors of tower construction in the mountainous zone covering the territories of modern Ingushetia, Chechnya, North Ossetia and the mountainous part of Eastern Georgia are the Ingush ancestors.

To this day, the names and surnames of famous builders of towers and other monuments of medieval architecture have been preserved. So, in the Jeirakhov and Assinov gorges, such masters as Yand from the village of Erzi, Dugo Akhriev and Khazbi Tsurov from the village of Furtog were well known, the name Barkhanoev from the village of Barkhin and others.

From the mountain village of Furtog, many famous tower builders appeared in Ingushetia and abroad. At the end of the XVIII century, the builder of towers Dugo Akhriev (according to legend, buried in the crypt next to the complex), as well as other masters, Dyatsi Lyanov and Khazbi Tsurov, who built a variety of housing and defense, funerary and religious structures even in the neighboring regions of North Ossetia, Georgia and Chechnya, became especially famous.

The Ingushes called people who knew how to skillfully handle the stone, “togovzanche”, (literally, “knowing the tricks of the stone”). According to M. Albogachieva, the secrets of construction skills were carefully stored in families and passed down from generation to generation. The builders had a special status in Ingush society.

Researcher S. Mereshkov believes that they were called (mehk-nah), they did not fall even under blood feud, since they were considered especially significant for society people. Building towers required high skill, experience, knowledge and technical skills. Recognized and famous masters-builders of the Middle Ages by the above were Erda Dudarov from villages. Upper Huli, Arsamak Evloev from the villages. Yovli, Hing Haniyev from the villages. Khani, Tet-Batyk Eldiyev from the villages. Targim, Barkinhoevs from the villages. Upper, Middle and Lower Ozdik, etc.

According to historians, the famous architect Arsmak lived in Lyalkh, who erected many high-strength, diverse stone buildings not only in Ingushetia, but also in neighboring areas of mountainous Georgia and North Ossetia. Bialgan Tower was built by a builder from the Hautiev family.

Ingush masters of tower construction kept their art secret and passed on by inheritance. They were deservedly famous for their unsurpassed skill in the construction of various types of stone buildings - Ingush architects were considered one of the best builders in the Caucasus. Neighboring nations invited them to build their own fortifications. Some scientists suggest that the similarity of traditional buildings among these peoples is due to the fact that they were erected by the Ingush.

The master builders of the towers, almost all the work on the construction of the tower was done from the inside, they did not know what external scaffolding was during this period.

“The master used only internal decking, outside he worked only in the construction of the roof. After that, he demanded a “rollover fee”.

After the completion of the construction of the tower, the master often left the imprint of his palm on a wet solution at the entrance to the tower, or circled it with a chisel. Also, the Ingush, inviting masters for the construction of the tower had to fulfill some conditions. First of all, they were responsible for his safety, then they had to feed him well, but the master builder of the tower also had to take on some obligations, including the quality of his work and timing. The construction of the tower was to be completed within a year.

Employees of the Dzheyrah-Assinsky Museum-Reserve will take part in the annual, which has become a traditional, sixth Marathon Dzheyrah, which starts in the Republic of Ingushetia this Sunday, September 22!

Over the six-year history of this race, more than 1,000 people from more than 100 cities of Russia have become guests of the republic.

In 2024, the year of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Republic, the Jeirah Marathon gathers a record number of guests from 32 subjects of the Russian Federation and 66 cities.

Distances are available for both beginners and professionals - from children's races for 500 meters, to the classic marathon distance of 42 kilometers.

300 participants of the race will rush up the mountain roads of the Jeirakh district to see the most beautiful landscapes of the asphalt marathon of the country!

Employees of the Dzhirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve held a Saturday in the adjacent territory of the architectural complex "Shoan", located 3 km from Olgati, on both sides of the road leading to Tsei Loam.

The photos clearly illustrate how much garbage is left behind by our compatriots traveling to the mountainous terrain!!!

Apparently, some vacationers leave behind garbage as a token of gratitude to nature for hospitality, for the cleanest mountain air, for unique monuments of antiquity? Unfortunately, few people think about their responsibility to nature, about the fact that garbage does not decompose, does not evaporate and does not collect itself. Leaving behind garbage, we pollute our house, causing irreparable damage to the environment. Firstly, it is unethical and ugly, secondly, in the process of decomposition, all chemistry gets into the soil and natural springs, thirdly, in search of food, animals go to these landfills, which, together with food, absorb cellophane and other indigestible objects, which leads to their death, fourth, next time, gathering in nature, we can simply not find a clean place.

Despite the fact that cleaning is not their direct responsibility, employees of the museum-reserve spend weekly Saturdays in the mountainous area, collecting mountains of garbage. Thus, we try, firstly, to draw attention to this problem, secondly, we make a weak attempt to set a good example for others, and, most importantly, love for our homeland, a sense of duty and patriotism does not allow us to remain indifferent.

Employees, armed with protective equipment and garbage bags, collected all the garbage from the complex and took it to a specially designated place, giving the territory its original appearance.

Summarizing the above, we urge all vacationers to take care of the environment. Take care of nature and it will reciprocate you.

On September 18, 2024, the acting director of the museum-reserve Sampiev A.A., together with the staff, made an inspection trip to the Tsori tower complex as part of the work plan.

Medieval complex "Tsori" - one of the largest tower complexes - is located in the eastern part of the Dzheyrakh district of the Republic of Ingushetia, on the border with Chechnya and Georgia, on a high mountain ledge. Its more accurate location is the Guloikhi Gorge. There is a tower complex at an altitude of 1,170 m.

At the moment, there are three battle towers, more than three dozen residential, 12 crypt burial grounds, early Muslim land burials, an early Muslim mosque built, according to studies, on the remains of a destroyed residential tower, an ancient mausoleum, and traces of two river mills were found. If you look closely, on the walls of the towers you can see interesting ornaments created from stones of different colors. There is a lot of evidence that artisans and architects who lived in the fortress were famous for their art throughout Ingushetia.

The battle towers of the castle ensemble are quite high, although not completely preserved. You can still see window openings, loopholes, arched ceilings and nothing like salt symbols, telling about the traditions of ancient Ingush. In general, despite the huge age of the buildings, many ornaments and decorative fragments have been preserved on the buildings.

The roof of the battle tower is flat with teeth at the corners, topped with conical stones. In Tsori, the towers and sakli of almost all the villages adjoin each other, piling up with tiers and forming one solid, strongly fortified castle.

Crypts are scattered near the village in several places. They are made of uncooked stones, on lime, have a yellow lining and in each tier of lazes - often rectangular, less often with a semicircular vault. More than half of them remained at full height. And the crypt that collapsed in 2022 was restored last autumn.

Employees of the institution on the spot collected field material, examined the safety of monuments, made photofixation.

On all objects of cultural heritage of the complex will be drawn up acts of technical condition and sent to higher organizations.

S. Egikal, Dzheyrakh district, photo by V. Perfilev, 1980.

As part of the work plan, together with the head of the project organization ASM GROUP Mikhailov, A.G. visited the “city of the dead” in Egikal, which consists of crypt tombs (1 imarash).

The city of the dead is located on the outskirts of the Egikal complex, in the western part, the state is ruined. The best preservation is observed in underground buildings.

The tombs are very diverse. There are multi-storey buildings with several burial chambers, with corridors, stone boxes and hiding places. Some tower-shaped crypts have decorative ornaments made by sampling from the walls of small stones.

According to the arrowheads and gold Horde coins found in the crypts, archaeologists attributed part of the tombs to the XIII-XV centuries. The other part of the tombs are the Middle and Late Bronze Ages.

The City of the Dead is part of the Dzhirakh-Assin State Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve and is an object of cultural heritage protected by the state.

As a result of the trip, visual inspection and photofixation of objects were made, their technical condition was assessed. At the next stage of the work, decisions will be made on their preservation.

Today, the staff of the Jeirakh-Assin Museum-Reserve took part in the round table “Features of the evolution of the Ingush national community in Turkey”, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Ingush statehood, where representatives of the Ingush diaspora - muhajirs who moved to the Ottoman Empire after the end of the Caucasian War in 1858-1865 , as a result of an agreement between Russia and Turkey, were present.

Mukhadzhirstvo was a consequence of the colonial policy of the Russian Empire in the North Caucasus. Of those who left Russia, some settled in Turkey. Another group settled in the Golan Heights (Syria), the third moved to Jordan, and the fourth settled in Iraq. Thus, diasporas of North Caucasian peoples appeared in the Middle East and Turkey. The Ingush, who emigrated to Turkey in various periods and represent the current Ingush diaspora, went through a long process of integration into Turkish society. They are full citizens and are involved in the cultural and political life of the Turkish state. Absolutely everyone speaks Turkish. At the same time, the spiritual and cultural connection with Ingushetia has not been lost, and their presence at this event is direct proof of this.

At the meeting, a leading researcher of the Ingush literature department of the Ingush State University “IngNII”, Candidate of Philological Sciences - Yalharoeva Marem Akhmetovna, made a report “Ethnic mentality of the Ingush diaspora in Turkey”, and also heard speeches by representatives of the Ingush diaspora in Turkey - Yashar Dural / Tsechoev, Mehmet Yakan / Daurbekov, Bekir Ozdemir / Gagiyev, Selman Beshta / Akhriev, Muratakhar and Dr.

Those who arrived mainly spoke in Turkish and used the services of an interpreter to communicate with the hall, the more surprising it turned out to be for those present the speech of the most senior representative of the Ingush diaspora, 84-year-old Yashar Dural-Tsechoev, who was fluent in the Ingush language.

At the end of the event, visitors were presented with souvenirs by representatives of the Easting Association and made a photo to remember.

As part of the planned work, Sampiyev A.A. visited the easternmost small tower complex of the Dzheyrakh district on the right slope of the Guloi-hi River, under the mountains of Harsakort and Orgunkort, located on the border zone and in the past, occupied an important strategic position.

The hum included a battle and eight residential towers with various annexes, which, through a stone defensive wall, were combined into a single powerful castle complex of the late Middle Ages. Currently, most of the buildings of the village are destroyed, preserved at the foundation level.

On the eastern outskirts of the village of Gul, on a mountain slope, stood six land-based collective crypt tombs of the late Middle Ages. Four of them are tower-shaped, three-storey, with a square base and a pyramidal-step coating, and the rest are rectangular, two-storey, with a gable-step (shale) roof.

On the northeastern outskirts of the village of Gul, on a forest glade, there is already a semi-ruined late medieval sanctuary in the form of a low stone pillar without a preserved roof. The building has an almost square base and a small square niche in the center of the facade east wall. Upstairs, the walls narrow markedly. The total height of the preserved part of the monument (from the facade to the east) is 1.15 m. It is built carefully, on a lime mortar. The laying of the walls is approaching ordinal. The walls and niche are covered with a thick layer of plaster of light yellow color.

Included in the list of identified objects of cultural heritage of the republic, subject to state protection. It is located within the boundaries of the Jeirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve.

As a result of the monitoring, field material was collected, measurements and photofixation were made. These data will be used in the preparation of acts of technical condition of objects, which, in turn, are used to assess its suitability and determine the need to take measures to preserve it.

Tower manor "Tovkhanti" is located opposite the Melleri complex, on the western slope of the mountain. It consists of 1 two-storey residential tower "Zovr-g1ala", on the east side of which there is a courtyard and one core-shaped mausoleum.

The height of the tower is about 5 meters, the roof is absent, the width of the southern wall is 6 m, the eastern one is 8.5 m. The entrance to the tower is located on the east side and has vaulted doors on both floors. Vaults of solid stones are relatively well preserved.

The south wall on the second floor has 1 large window and 2 small loopholes. The eastern wall has 2 arched doors, 1 window, 2 loopholes, one of which is directed to the entrance of the first floor.

The tower has well-preserved structural details: window openings, niches, loopholes, which are available on all walls of the object.

Of particular importance for the history of the republic, in our opinion, is the core-shaped mausoleum, erected in the late 18th century and located 15 meters south of the tower, it has been preserved to its full height (about 3 meters).

I want to give one interesting story, which is recorded for the first time from the words of local residents. It says that the estate appeared later than the Muller Tower, it is also known that the inhabitant of the tower left this place.

Further, in this legend it is told that the owner of this estate, after the construction of the tower and the mausoleum, gathered people of nearby villages and demonstrated the work of the master. And there was something to see: the tower was very beautiful, with many loopholes, windows, niches, as well as vaulted doorways and other structural elements.

Also, the resident of the tower boasted that on his lands he harvests two crops per year. Among the guests was a blind old man from the village of Meller, who did not like the successes of his neighbor and in order to survive from these places, he advised him to cultivate the land with melted oil, so that they would bring him three crops per year.

The owner of the estate, being a very hardworking and simple-minded person, heeded his advice and worked his land with oil. As a result, the land ceased to yield crops and, having lost it, the inhabitant of the tower was forced to leave these places, since previously the only source of food was only land. And since then, no one has moved in.

It is located within the boundaries of the Jeirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve.

Interesting compositions of the temple "Thaba-Yerda".

Photos taken before the restoration ( 1969-1971 ) of the monument.

Last weekend, as part of official events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Ingushetia, the annual traditional "Jeirakh Marathon", which is the most complex asphalt marathon in Russia, was held.

In 2024, the event was attended by athletes from 70 cities of 34 subjects of the Russian Federation, including athletes from Ingushetia. The event was held at the Republican resort LOC “Armkhi”.

Distances overcame by athletes: 4, 8, 21 (classic half marathon), and 42 km (marathon according to the rules of OI).

The final report of the VI Jairah Marathon results can be found here: https://t.me/djeirahmarathon/119.

It is worth noting that the participants from Ingushetia distinguished themselves at all distances, taking high positions in the final protocol.

In particular, 1st place at a distance of 4 kilometers was taken by Nakastoev Magomed, and at a distance of 21 kilometers 2nd place was taken by Mikhail Limaev.

During the general program of the event, a race to the Lyazhginsky Falls and a children's race for 500 meters were also held.

"Jeirah Marathon" was held with the active support of the Administration of the Dzheyrakh district and personally the Head of the district, the Committee for Tourism of the Republic of Ingushetia and personally the Head of the Committee, the Management of the National Resort "Armhi", the Committee for State Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites, employees of the Dzheyrakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve and personally the Director, operator of the National System "Territory", and other organizations.

Special thanks for the comprehensive assistance in the preparation and holding of the event, the organizers express to all medical services of the Jeirakh district and the Republic, the rescue squad of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as ordinary citizens who came to support the event, provided assistance on the route and food points.

The 7th Dzheirakh is already planned, which can be held in the format of an all-Russian festival.

The organizers of the “Jeirah Marathon” are ANO “United Territories of the Caucasus”.

Today, as part of the implementation of the project of the Federal Agency for Nationalities: "Audiovisual Ethno-Encyclopedia", a documentary film was shot in the mountains of Ingushetia, where employees of the museum-reserve also took direct part.

It is pleasant to realize that the interest in mountain Ingushetia from researchers not only does not fade, but on the contrary increases day by day: it has long attracted the attention of not only tourists, but also scientists who are trying to open unknown pages of history.

So, recently, in the framework of the study of medieval stone crosses, cruciform and anthropomorphic steles in the North Caucasus, independent researchers from St. Petersburg Alexander Potravnov and Tatiana Khmelnik, having previously agreed on their visit, together with the staff of the State Historical-Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve of Djeirakh-Assinsk, inspected a number of monumental objects in the mountains of Ingushetia.

The researchers visited the tower complexes "Myashkhi", "Keli", the temple "Thaba-Yerda", where these objects are preserved, and which are within the scope of their scientific interests.

Scientists inspected and photographed the most accessible monuments of the past – stone crosses, cruciform and anthropomorphic steles.

At the same time, in the course of work, in the area of the tower village "Keli", on the slope, next to the crypt, a medieval stone cross was discovered, considered previously lost.

Farewelling, researchers from St. Petersburg thanked the employee of the museum-reserve for hospitality and assistance and expressed hope for continued cooperation.

SPOILER: in the future, these objects will be included in the consolidated catalog of stone crosses of the Russian Federation with a mark of places of detection on the map, which will allow a more accurate and reasoned study of the tradition of creating and distributing stone crosses not only in Ingushetia, but also in other regions of the Caucasus.

That's how it was.

Restoration of the temple "Thaba-Yerda" in 1969-1971 by the project of the Georgian architect L.A. Khimshiashvili.

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In Tumgi completed the restoration of 8 objects of cultural heritage. Earlier, in the course of comprehensive scientific research, the specialists of ASMGROUP revealed the construction of stone bases of residential towers, as well as three ancient crypts with anthropological artifacts.

Work on the restoration of historical monuments continues, they will affect 34 objects of the complex.

Employees of the museum-reserve, as part of the protection and preservation of cultural heritage sites, made an expedition to the tower estate "Tovkhanti", located west of Melleri.

The estate consists of 1 residential bunk residential tower and one, rare for the edge, core-shaped mausoleum.

The purpose of the tour was to clear the perimeter of the mausoleum from the sprawling spontaneous growth, which posed a potential threat to the integrity of the historical object.

The guys, armed with saws and axes, cut down shrubs and unwanted vegetation, saving the monument from damage and increasing its attractiveness for visitors. After all, wild plants could not only damage the monument, but also hide it from the eyes of tourists.

The mausoleum is well preserved for its time and it is very important to keep it in this condition for as long as possible.

It is located within the boundaries of the Jeirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve.