The study, revival, preservation and protection of the historical and cultural heritage of peoples is a priority task of the state.
Mountain Ingushetia has a huge number of architectural monuments, including religious buildings of the ancient and medieval periods, which can be called an open-air historical and ethnographic museum.
Currently, there is a tendency to preserve and restore monuments of material culture of peoples, which is manifested in the protection and restoration of cultural heritage objects.
During Soviet times, more than sixty different types of religious buildings were discovered in mountainous Ingushetia, and many of them now need restoration to preserve their historical significance.
Special attention of scientists is attracted by the temple of Thaba-Yerda, dedicated to the deity Tha, located in the center of the Galgai society between the villages of Pui and Khairakh. The Mehk Khel (public assembly) was held here every year, where important decisions were made that affected the interests of the Ingush people.
Taba Yerdy is the oldest temple in Ingushetia. The time of its foundation is considered to be the VIII century. Included in the list of cultural heritage sites of federal significance, the temple has been repeatedly restored and is currently the object of archaeological research conducted by the company "ASM Group" in partnership with OJSC "Heritage of Kuban" and specialists of the Ingush Archaeological Center named after E.I. Krupnov. Studying the territory of the ancient temple of Thaba Yerda, researchers discovered underground crypts and unknown settlements.
One of the important elements of the Ingush culture was the revered cult of ancestors, accompanied by memorial ceremonies and sacrifices in their honor. This was the main reason for the emergence of architecturally decorated sacred structures, such as temples, sanctuaries and crypts (malhara kash) – solar burial grounds, special rooms for the worship and burial of the dead, both above ground and underground. The ancestors of the Ingush said, “A man needs a tower in life, and after death a crypt.”
About twenty partially destroyed Ingush sanctuaries are located in the basin of the Assy River. They have a rectangular shape with a gable roof, similar to a normal house. Architectural analysis shows that the shape of these sanctuaries was inspired by residential buildings that have long since disappeared in the area.
In his studies, M.B. Musukhoev drew attention to the evolution of religious buildings.
It is obvious that over time, the Ingush moved from simple forms of construction of religious buildings to more complex and durable buildings. Perhaps the architectural features of the Ingush shrines differed depending on their status and purpose.
The temple (Elgatz in Ingush) was built for religious ceremonies. Sacrifice and other rituals were performed in Elgaz. Scientists note that some sanctuaries "elgits" (elgats) have similarities with "seelings", which have a gable roof.
Researcher F.M. Kostoeva claims that in ancient times the term "seeling" was used to refer to a high quadrangular stone column facing south, with a flat or gable top and a small niche at the base. The sielings were collected from raw stone before human growth and fixed to a lime or clay solution ("markhal"). Such stone structures were erected at crossroads, at towers or crypts [10, pp. 20-24].
The unique ethno-cultural heritage of Ingushetia is represented by a significant number of historical and cultural monuments, including ancient religious buildings, where various rites and ceremonies were held.
As a result of ongoing research in mountain Ingushetia discovered a large number of unaccounted historical and cultural monuments, revealing the secrets of ancient customs and rituals, the study of which will reveal many mysteries.
It should be noted that the new architectural monuments testify to the presence on this territory of unexplored objects of cultural heritage, including religious buildings belonging to the early period of the history of Ingushetia, requiring special careful study and restoration.
Revealed in the mountainous part of Ingushetia religious buildings reflect the life of the peoples who inhabited the region in different historical periods. Cult monuments of mountain Ingushetia are a phenomenon of the ethnic culture of the Ingush people.
From the scientific publication Karieva F.A., Dolgieva M.B. “Historical and cultural heritage of the Ingush people and historical memory (based on materials of mountain Ingushetia)”.
