Jeyrakh-Assin Reserve

Battle towers of the tower settlement of Khyamishki - before, after and during the restoration.

Khamishki is a medieval castle-type tower complex east of Lyazhga. Two battle towers of the complex were restored in 2012.

Employees of the Dzheyrah-Assinsky Museum-Reserve, within the framework of the work plan - supervision of restoration, conservation and emergency work on the preservation of historical and architectural objects on the territory of the museum-reserve, made an inspection trip to the tower settlement "Eban".

Eban is a village in the Jeirakh district of Ingushetia, as part of the rural settlement of Beini, located at the beginning of the Jeirakh gorge, on the steep right bank of the Armkhi River five kilometers from the Georgian Military Road. Nearby there is a turn to the center of a rural settlement - aul Beini.

The Eban tower complex was destroyed during a punitive expedition of the tsarist troops to mountain Ingushetia in 1830.

Once in this village towered military and residential towers.

Rehabilitation work is currently underway at the complex.

The working week in the Dzhirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve began with a meeting, under the leadership of acting director Sampiev A.A.

On the agenda were the issues of participation in the scientific and practical conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Ingush statehood, accounting of all cyclopean buildings of the Dzheyrakh district, accounting of cave-type rock objects located on Table Mountain and determining their locations.

Sampiyev A.A. stressed that a number of issues should be closed by the end of the year, given the seasonality of some of the work carried out, recalled the need for daily monitoring of tower complexes for detection of violations.

Concluding the working meeting with the employees, the head expressed hope that the employees will cope with the tasks set, and that joint participation in the conference will mark the beginning of mutually beneficial cooperation aimed at preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the region.

On November 12, 2024, the opening of the Interregional Scientific and Practical Conference “National and State Education in the Republic of Ingushetia” took place in the village of Armkha, Dzheyrakh district of the Republic of Ingushetia.

Russia: History and Modernity, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Ingushetia.

At the interregional scientific-practical conference "National-State Education in Russia: History and Modernity", dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Ingushetia, Akhmed-Khan Sampiyev made a scientific report on the activities, successes and problems of the Dzheyrah-Assin Museum-Reserve.

Among the guests of honor at the conference "National-State Entities in Russia: History and Modernity" were: Advisor to the Head of the Republic of Ingushetia Fursov Oleg Borisovich; Minister of Culture of the Republic of Ingushetia Zalina Israilovna Lyanova; Deputy of the People's Assembly of the Republic of Ingushetia Tsoev Ahmet Khadjibikarovich.

The final stage of the conference "National-state formations in Russia: history and modernity". Climb to Erzi Tower Complex. We are among the first to rise, waiting for the rest of the group. Climbing here unprepared will seem difficult, so when you are going to visit these towers, keep this in mind. Slowly gather all the participants of the expedition, many here for the first time, Ahmed Khan takes his position, as the host party and we begin our exciting journey into the world of towers.

Participants of the interregional scientific and practical conference arrived. Malsagova Lena - a professional guide-guide of mountain Ingushetia kindly agreed to us to open unknown pages of history. The participants of the expedition listen fascinated and with genuine interest.

The conference was organized by the Government of the Republic of Ingushetia, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Ingushetia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Ingushetia, the Ingush State University, the State Archival Service of the Republic of Ingushetia, the Geirakh-Assin Museum Reserve and the Ingush Research Institute of Humanities.

Throughout 2024, events dedicated to the anniversary of the republic are held in Ingushetia, and the conference was among these events.

On November 11-13, employees of the Jeirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve, within the framework of the implementation of the List of instructions of the Head of the Republic of Ingushetia dated August 30, 2023, on holding a conference dedicated to the preservation and popularization of cultural heritage objects, and within the framework of a bilateral agreement between the State Research Institute named after C. Akhriev and the State University “Jeyrakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve” on cooperation of the parties, concluded on August 29, 2024, took part in the Interregional scientific and practical conference “National-State Education in Russia”, dedicated to the history of the Republic of 100-modern education.

The conference itself was held within the framework of the Plan of main measures for the preparation and holding of the celebration in 2024 of the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Republic of Ingushetia in pursuance of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 938 “On the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Republic of Ingushetia” dated December 8, 2023.

The conference was organized by the Government of the Republic of Ingushetia, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Ingushetia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of RI, Ingush State University, the Ingush Research Institute of Humanities named after C. Akhriev, the Dzhirakh-Assin Museum-Reserve.

The conference was attended by: the Head of the RI, deputies of the RI People’s Assembly, members of the RI Government, representatives of scientific institutions of the RAS, universities and scientific centers of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Grozny, Essentukov, Krasnodar, Karachayevsk, Nalchik, Makhachkala, Maikop, Rostov-on-Don, Stavropol, Cherkessk, Elista, Magas and other cities of Russia.

By the beginning of the conference, a collection of materials in two parts was published, which will be included in the database of the Russian Science Citation Index (RISC) and posted on the Elibrary.ru portal.

The conference was held in the following sections:

National-state autonomy in the Caucasus: Ingush Autonomous Oblast ( 1924-1934 ): political and socio-economic processes.

Multinationality of the country as a factor of its stability in confronting challenges in new and modern times.

Languages of the peoples of Russia: preservation of linguistic diversity.

Literature and folklore of the peoples of the Caucasus: historical and cultural context.

Cultural heritage of the peoples of the Caucasus: history and modernity.

At the conference, acting director A.A. Sampiev made a scientific report on the activities, successes and problems of the Jeirakh-Assin State Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve.

A.A. Sampiev’s speech caused a lively discussion among those present, all participants noted the great theoretical and practical significance of the presented report.

Art gallery of the artist Gadaborshev Sultan was organized and held: “Mountain Ingushetia through the eyes of the artist Gadaborshev S.A.”, photo exhibition of Timur Agirov “Medievary architecture of mountain Ingushetia”.

On the third, final day of the conference, a tour of the Jeirakh district was held for the participants.

In conclusion, I would like to note the high professional level of this event and its important positive role in the current conditions.

Taking this opportunity, we would like to express special gratitude to all employees of the Ingush Research Institute of Humanities named after C. Akhriev represented by the head of D. E. Ozdoev, as well as to all organizers and participants of the event.

On the territory of the Tumgi complex, an underground crypt was discovered, previously not recorded.

It is worth noting that some destroyed, ruined or underground structures can only be found in winter and early spring, when there is no vegetation cover.

The above objects include, recently discovered during the inspection, north of the semi-combat tower No. 1 of the Tumgi tower complex, an underground crypt, the condition of which is visually determined as satisfactory. The object found at the base has dimensions of 2x3 m, the entrance rectangular type.

We say discovered because in the formed lists of institutions – identified objects of cultural heritage – this object is not listed.

We admit that each of those who visited this complex repeatedly passed by this crypt, unaware that it may be of any interest, and the primary task of the museum-reserve, as part of the planned work, is the fixation and accounting of such objects.

And yet, as we noted earlier, the unknownness of these crypts lies in the fact that earlier the inhabitants of this area, for religious reasons, covered them with earth, or stones covered the entrance hole in them. So, in the course of comprehensive scientific research, the specialists of ASM Group identified the construction of stone bases of residential towers and ancient crypts with anthropological artifacts, and completed the restoration of 8 objects of cultural heritage. Restoration works will affect 34 facilities of the complex.

In 800 m south-east of Tumga there is a small, little-known castle-type tower complex - Hashale, which has a relatively well-preserved 1 semi-combat, 4 residential towers, 1 crypt burial ground.

The local towers were recorded and examined by D.Y. Chakhkiev in 1980, who notes that the complex has 4 tower buildings of the late Middle Ages with various structural details and a dilapidated collective tomb.

In our material, for the first time, a description of the object composition of the complex is given.

Demi-tower No. 1 - dimensions at the base (4*6 m). The building is three-tiered, partially destroyed, the roof is missing, on the east side on the second and third tiers there are two entrances-lazes, the entrance to the first tier is collapsed. The northern side is deaf, on the western and southern sides there are holes-holes, also on the southern side there is a ruined annex with preservation of the base.

Residential tower No. 2 - dimensions at the base (7*14 m) The building is located on the hillside, destroyed and in an extremely emergency condition, the north side is collapsed, the roof is missing, on the east side there is an arched blocky entrance.

Residential tower No. 3 - dimensions at the base (4 * 7 m). Destroyed and in an extremely emergency condition, the roof is absent, on the south side an arched entrance and a manhole have been preserved, the latter is located on the left side above the entrance.

Residential tower No4 - dimensions at the base (8*4.m). Partially destroyed building, the roof is missing, on the north side is buried in the mountainside, on the west side one above the other there are two arched entrances, from the inner part of the southern wall there are niches-deepening and one through hole-laze.

Residential tower No5 - dimensions at the base (10*5 m) Destroyed and extremely emergency building, the roof is missing, the northern and eastern parts are destroyed to the ground.

Crypt burial ground No. 6 - dimensions at the base (3.30 * 3.20 m) Destroyed and extremely emergency building, located on the hillside, the roof - pyramidal step, preserved in half, the eastern and northern parts of the crypt collapsed, on the western and northern sides there are holes.

Field material. It is published in order to protect, preserve and popularize objects of cultural heritage.

In the course of ongoing planned work on the identification and accounting of previously unrecorded cyclopean buildings, 6 buildings were recorded in Upper Ozik, and 7 buildings with adjacent walls were noted by Upper Doshkhakle.

On the tower complexes of Keli and Upper Keli, Sredny Ozik, Khart, Targim, similar works were carried out earlier. Subsequently, they will be put on the state record and mapped.

Employees of the museum-reserve during an inspection tour, near the tower complex "Lyalakh" found unaccounted underground crypts, in the amount of three pieces.

The tower complex Lyalakh is a large castle-type settlement in the Chulkhoy (Salgin) gorge. Built in the sixteenth century. From the north-west, the territory of the village is limited by a ravine, along the bottom of which a stream flows, from the south - by the steep bank of the Chulkha River, from the east - by a shallow ravine. To the north is the Rocky Range and Mount Tsei Loam. In the lower row of the village there are three battle towers, above the slope, under their cover, 22 residential towers were built.

Two crypts are relatively well preserved, compared to the third, the size of which is impossible to determine.

Employees carried out measurements of the object, made a photo fixation.

The first crypt has dimensions in the base of 3x3 m, a depth of one and a half meters, the entrance opening is one. The second structure with dimensions in the base of 3.5x3.5 m, depth of 1 m, the roof is missing. The third crypt is ruined.

The works are carried out within the framework of planned works on fixation and accounting of previously unrecorded objects of cultural heritage.

The identified objects will be included in the list of identified objects of cultural heritage of the republic and put into scientific circulation, and they will be of interest to all who are fond of the history of the region.

The head of Ingushetia Mahmud-Ali Kalimatov proposed to move the helipad, located near the tower complex Vovnushka. This decision he made after the appeal of representatives of the teip Ozdoevs with a request to limit the flights of helicopters over the family towers of Vovnushka, as vibration from them can lead to the destruction of historical objects that date back to the XII-XV centuries.

Kalimatov said that the transfer of the helipad to 500-700 meters will not affect the activities of border guards, but, in turn, will preserve the architectural monuments of Ingushetia.

Acting Director of the Jeirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve Sampiev A.A. made an inspection trip to the tower complex "Khyani".

The tower complex of Hyani (Khani, Hani, Heni-ing.) is located on a mountain slope in the center of the Salga gorge, near the Chulkha river. The buildings belong to the XVI century. It includes three combat, three semi-combat and 11 residential towers connected by long stone walls.

Hyani battle towers, six-storey, reaching a height of up to 30 meters, with a stepped-pyramidal coating, are vivid examples of the period of development and the highest heyday of construction in Ingushetia and neighboring regions, they stand out significantly against the background of similar structures, primarily the novelty of forms, external beauty and elegance of structural details.

Residential towers, in terms of rectangular or rarely trapezoidal, had two or more floors of a flat roof, with a high parapet.

A recognized and famous master-builder of the Middle Ages was Hing Haniyev from Khyan, there were also famous craftsmen for the manufacture of bows, arrows, crossbows, slings (for example, Alpi Haniyev).

In 2011-2012 , the Khiani complex was restored as far as possible, a gravel road was laid to it, and now it is one of the attractions of mountain Ingushetia.

On November 25, 2024, acting director of the Jeirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve Sampiev A.A., together with the representative of the Committee for the State Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites of the Republic of Ingushetia M.G. Aspiev, General Director of ASM Group Mikhailov A.G., under the work plan to supervise restoration, conservation and emergency work on the preservation of historical and architectural objects on the territory of the museum-reserve, made an inspection trip to the tower complexes "Eban", "Keli", "Keli", "Keli", "Mukhorgi".

Work on the preservation of objects of cultural heritage is carried out under the condition of technical, author's supervision and state control in the field of protection of OKS over their conduct, as well as these works are carried out on the basis of a task and permission to carry out these works issued by the OKS protection body - the State Protection Committee of the OKS of the Republic of Ingushetia.

Changes to this task are possible only in coordination with the State Protection Committee of OKN RI.

During the inspection, on the tower complexes "Pui", "Keli" was identified a number of comments on the ongoing work, the elimination of which will be prepared and sent instructions in accordance with the current legislation to higher authorities.

Beney Tower at the foot of Mat Loam. It includes semi-ruined or heavily damaged late medieval one semi-combat and 8 residential towers with various annexes and stone defensive walls. Each tower was part of a separate complex of buildings. Residential towers with extensions and walls were grouped into family quarters.

On the walls and doorways at two residential towers you can see linear petroglyphs and tamgas (crosses, tricvesters, figures of people, etc.).

On the northern outskirts of the village of Beini, in the steep slopes of Mount Mat Loam, there are 4 inaccessible rock shelters of the late Middle Ages, extensive caves with facade southern stone walls. They are neatly stacked on a lime binder solution and covered with light yellow plaster. In the walls there are small vaulted door and window openings. In these shelters, during the threat of an enemy attack, the incapacitated population of the village of Beini was sheltered.

On the southern outskirts of the village of Beini, on a mountain slope, in pre-war times, the late medieval temple-sanctuary of Beini Seli towered with a rectangular base and a gable-step roof.

In the late Middle Ages, the Beini Towers were designed to protect surrounding villages from enemy attacks, as well as the residence of famous families in this area. Traditionally, all towers are surrounded by stone fences. The battle tower is located at the very top of the complex and is designed to protect it. According to sources, the Beini tower complex was completely abandoned by residents during the eviction of the Ingush people in 1944.

Currently, the towers are in a half-destroyed state. The complex of Bainey towers is surrounded by alpine meadows covered with silk, emerald grass, in the thick of which the purest springs are hidden, and in spring vast fields bloom with stunningly beautiful bouquets.

The history of Bainey, founded around the XVI century, is inextricably linked with the bloody wars of those times. And although the main occupation of the inhabitants of these places was cattle breeding, nevertheless, circumstances forced them to constantly hone their defensive skills. This even preserved a legend, which from word of mouth retells the local residents. According to popular legend, once on the site of the village of Beini was the village of Ioarch1ache - weeds and lived here G1am-nakyan - a tribe of witches. G1am-nakyan was characterized by cruelty and insidiousness.

And there was no rest from them to anyone. Their main occupation was robbery and robbery. For raids and warfare in the mountains, this family had 63 warrior horsemen. G1am-Najkian cattle were taken from neighboring tribes.

The mountaineers have long endured the excesses of the people of the witch tribe. But the day came when the neighbors were tired of their insidiousness, and they decided to cunningly eradicate a strong line of robbers. The brothers Dzarakh, Marzbik, Shovkhal from the village of Falkhan, hiding their true intentions, invited men of their kind to a feast and poisoned them.

Only two men of their family survived - they were away at the time. The G1am Naqian tribe was broken and the remaining women were broken, and the children left.

Thus, the village of Joarch1ache disappeared and over time, aul Beini appeared on this place. Old-timers say that the village got its new name from the killed G1am-nakyan, i.e. from the dead - "Beinarash" - Beini, and nearby another village began to be called Kashat1e (Kasheti) - the place of their burial.

Impressive views of mountain Ingushetia!

A unique phenomenon of Ingush material culture are residential towers, which, according to some researchers, arose from cyclopean buildings. Residential towers of the Ingush were called g1ala, and they were the most common buildings in mountainous Ingushetia. They were used as housing in modern times, up to the eviction of people. In appearance, they are different from battle towers. The construction of residential towers dates back to the XII century. The stone of the residential towers is made on lime. The secret of the solution with which the masonry was made has not yet been disclosed. Usually these buildings consist of two or three floors, they were from 10 to 12 meters high.

The first illustrations of the Ingush and their tower buildings appeared in the XIX century. The first collections of photographs of Ingush belong to D. A. Nikitin, N. K. Zeidlitz, Caucasian Y. Y. Karpov. They all traveled to the Caucasus at different times. Y.Y. Karpov visited Ingushetia, in the mountain villages of Dzhirakh, Erzi, Lyazhgi, Olgetti, Beini, Pui, Mushichi and climbed Table Mountain to capture the sanctuary of Myatseli. About the activities of these researchers in his work writes M. Albogachieva.

The presented collection includes photographs of military and residential towers, views of mountainous terrain, landscapes, in the amount of 82 photos taken in the mountainous part of Ingushetia, 72 photos shot in Chechnya, and 14 photos in Georgia. For us, photographs of architectural structures of mountain Ingushetia, taken in Dzherakh, Lezhgi, Erzi, Olgetti, Beini, Puy, Mushichi, where Y. Karpov managed to capture all types of ancient architectural structures of mountain Ingushetia, are of great interest.

In his dissertation work, S.D. Sulimenko gave a typology of tower structures, that is, showed their classification. He writes that residential-family towers are the most archaic type of tower structures. Until the XVIII century and even later, residential towers represented an architectural expression of the mythological syncretism of life, all kinds of activities were carried out (or could be carried out) in residential towers: residential, economic, defense, sacred.

Recently, interest in tower complexes, to the secrets of their construction has increased, which allows people interested to turn to various sources that allow them to consider the architectural details of Ingush architecture.

Tower buildings made of stone were reliable protection from enemies, were more durable than wooden buildings. The Ingush said, “He who lives in a tower is warm, and it is cold for him who does not have his own family tower.”

In the center of the residential tower there was always a four-sided pillar. Constructed of very large stones, rectangular in plan, slightly tapering up for stability, residential towers could also be used as fortresses.

Over time, the higher the residential tower was built, the already it became, which was due to the need to give the tower greater stability. If necessary, and residential towers, played the role of combat, they were adapted for defense. In many residential towers there are loopholes designed for the introduction of combat.

On the first floor of the residential towers, which served mainly as a barn, there were no windows, on the second floor there were tenants.

In numerous niches located in the thickness of the wall, household utensils were stored. Part of the housing occupied the bunks in the form of a wide platform. On the pegs, driven between the stones, hung weapons - bows, guns, sabers.

The collection of Yuri Karpov depicts residential towers, which have three floors and, as a rule, a rectangular base. The dimensions of the towers at the base are 6-15 × 4-9 m. The height of the buildings ranges from 8 to 12 m, the roof is flat, earthen. Entrance to the building through the door of the lower floor. Communication with subsequent floors is carried out with the help of a ladder through a hole in one of the corners of the interior. In the middle of all the buildings there was a stone pillar, which was a support for inter-storey log floors. The purpose of the defense of the tower served special battle crevices of the walls of the second and third floors, and sometimes stones laid in rows on the roof. Each floor had a clearly defined function. The first served as a barn, there were stored stocks of grain, livestock feed, tools and means of transportation. The second floor was residential, the third was intended for guests. In the center of the dwelling there was a hearth sacred to each mountaineer, above it a boiler for cooking was hung on a focal chain.”

In winter, the towers were heated with round fireplaces. Even in the summer they did not warm up, they remained cool.

On the outside of the residential tower at the ground floor level, there were two protruding stones on the wall, for which horses were tied. It was a horsetail.

Residential towers of different preservation are located in all villages of mountain Ingushetia. More preserved residential towers are located in the following mountain villages: Erzi, Egikal, Beini, Tsori, Harpe, Furtog, Lyazhgi, Salgi, Lyalakh, etc.

In many dilapidated residential towers, four-sided pillars with stone pillows that stood in the middle of the tower, designed to support the beams of the floors, were preserved. For example, well-preserved support pillars can be observed in residential towers – Harpe, Zori, etc.

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The Vovnushki Tower Complex is the most famous in Ingushetia and Russia.

Translated from Ingush Vonushki means “place of battle towers”. They vividly illustrate the concept of “firm”: huge stone structures, firmly standing on a rocky base. The approaches to the towers and residential extensions were blocked by powerful fortress walls, which were initially perceived as a natural part of the mountain.

Vonushki is a recognized masterpiece of medieval tower architecture, and a subject of special pride of the Ingush. Now it is difficult to imagine how much effort the builders of Vonushki had to make to create a four-storey complex in such a difficult place for construction, which was also chosen not by chance - this is the junction point of mountain gorges. In ancient times, one of the sections of the legendary Silk Road passed here.