Yakub Gogiev, a member of the Dzurdzuki Historical and Geographical Society, and representatives of the Koaloi teip conducted an expedition to the summit of Mount Koaloi-Loam, located near the Koale tower complex (not to be confused with the Keli settlement and Mount Kuloi-Loam, located on the opposite side of the Assinovsky Gorge).
The expedition members discovered the remains of several stone structures at the summit.
The first structure is oriented strictly along the east-west axis and measures 4.20 x 5.80 meters. The height of the surviving masonry on the southern side reaches 1.20 meters, reaching an altitude of 2,368 meters above sea level. A unique structural feature of the building is that its northern wall rests directly on a rock outcrop, using it as a natural foundation. The interior is completely filled with collapsed roofing and rubble from the walls. To the north of this site are the ruins of another structure, but the degree of its destruction precluded instrumental measurements. On the southwestern elevation, a pillar-like sanctuary has been identified, surviving to a height of up to two meters. It is noticeably damaged by time, but overall in good condition.
Taken together, the discovered complex convincingly demonstrates the long-term cultic use of this area, likely lasting for several centuries. A shift in religious paradigm deprived these structures of their former significance, and they were abandoned. Final conclusions and a reconstruction of ritual practice will be possible after archaeological excavations, which we hope will reveal the secrets of the past of this unique highland sanctuary.
The Koale tower settlement is located on a spur of Mount Tsorei Loam, 800 meters east of Gerite and 1 km northwest of Barakh.
As a reminder, at the end of last year, in the western part of the complex, staff from the Dzheyrakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve discovered a previously unaccounted-for structure, presumably a temple-sanctuary.
The complex also contains six surviving residential towers and a natural spring.