Jeyrakh-Assin Reserve

During excavations at the Gerite tower complex, employees of the Heritage School of Bricklayers and Restorers found two ancient women's headdresses, known as kurkharss, in one of the above-ground sun graves.

A kurkhar (kurhas) is an original traditional Ingush women's headdress. It is known in the Caucasus only in Ingushetia. Kurkhar were an attribute of the formal, festive clothing of Ingush girls and were worn during holidays and when going out in public. This headdress was a very expensive element of the costume, costing between 5 and 15 cows. Kurkharss were made of red felt or thick cloth and were tall caps in the shape of a skate with a curved forward and forked end called a “crest.”

The burial inventory found is of great scientific interest and will be studied and described in detail in the future.

On November 27, 2025, the head of the State Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites, T. U. Kodzoev, and the acting director of the State Cultural Institution “Djeirah-Assinsky Museum-Reserve,” A.A. Sampiev, took part in an event marking the completion of restoration work on the Keli tower complex, during which the historical ensemble, consisting of one combat tower and four residential towers, was restored.

The work was carried out by highly qualified specialists in accordance with the design and estimate documentation approved by the Government of the Republic of Ingushetia with the financial support of the SAFMAR and Vozrozhdenie charitable foundations.

Earlier, as part of the work plan to supervise the restoration, conservation, and emergency repair work aimed at preserving the historical and architectural sites of mountainous Ingushetia, the heads of the relevant organizations conducted inspection tours of the complex, which revealed no violations—all work was carried out in accordance with established norms and standards.

During routine work to identify and record previously unrecorded architectural monuments, employees of the Dzhayrakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve discovered a previously unrecorded structure, presumably a temple-sanctuary, on the territory of the Koal tower complex located on the spur of Mount Tsey-Loam, 800 m above the Gerite complex, an unrecorded building, presumably a temple-sanctuary, was discovered.

The identified building is located in the western part of the complex, on a gentle mountain slope. It is in ruins, with only part of the southern wall preserved to a height of 1 meter. Archaeological work is needed to obtain more detailed information.

There is also a natural spring on the territory of the complex, which was improved in the fall of 2024 by people from this complex.

In the mountains of Ingushetia, in addition to temples from an earlier cultural period, you will find a number of smaller temples built at a later date. A temple, or temple building, is called “elgac” in Ingush. Each clan had its own temple and its own annual festival. At that time, a semi-pagan cult developed, expressed mainly in solemn collective feasts in which all members of the clan participated. The temple had a clan overseer or guardian, who received a portion of the food brought for the feasts (he should not be confused with the priest, usually the oldest of those present, who recited prayers). The temple also contained images of gods. It is known that even after the adoption of Islam, the Ingush still retained some old pagan customs, and many elderly people still remember pagan prayers and the names of pagan gods. The last Ingush priest at the temple was Elmura-Haji from the village of Shon (Shoan - author's note) near Vladikavkaz. After converting to Islam, he visited Mecca and became a “hajji.” From him and others, it was possible to record entire pagan prayers and find out the names of such pagan gods as: Jerda, the god of the atmosphere; Tusuol, the goddess worshipped by women, the goddess of fertility and spring; then the god Siela, actually the god of thunder; in addition to them, there was also the god of hunting, Jelth, and the supreme god, Dtala; special prayers were dedicated to each of these gods (Yakovlev N.F. Problems in the Study of Chechen and Ingush Culture).

The Ingush believed that certain families, villages, and communities had special patron saints—divine beings or saints. Their names in Ingush are “tsu” or “erdy.” Some of these deities acquired pan-Ingush significance and were equally revered by all Ingush, while others were purely local, family, or clan patrons (Compiled by researchers at the Central Museum of Ethnography, M.G. Levin, M.T. Markelov, and others, under the general editorship of V.K. Nikolsky. Religious Beliefs of the Peoples of the USSR. Collection of Ethnographic Materials. – Moskovsky Rabochy - 1931).

Ethnographic descriptions acquaint us with the most ancient places of worship. For the Ingush and Chechens, these were mountain peaks, sacred caves, and groves, also located on high ground. Later, special religious buildings began to appear and function alongside the former – sanctuaries (Muzhukhoev M.B. Medieval Material Culture of Mountainous Ingushetia. – Grozny, 1977).

In his works, researcher M.B. Muzhukhoev discussed the evolutionary development of sanctuaries. In his opinion, it was as follows: small crypt-like shrines, Christian churches, large Christian shrines, then small pagan shrines again with the walls of the interior covered by two stepped slopes, and finally, pillar-shaped shrines, which completed the development of local religious monuments.

The first working day at the Jayrakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve in 2026 began with a visit from Russian hero Danilov A. A., who wished us fruitful work and the conquest of new worthy heights, as well as a new working year that would be much more interesting and successful than the old one!

The head of the State Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites, T. Kodzoev, U. was awarded certificates of commendation from the Head of the Republic of Ingushetia for his many years of conscientious work and responsible approach to including cultural monuments in the restoration program. Employees of the Dzejrakh-Assinsky State Historical, Architectural, and Natural Museum-Reserve were also awarded certificates of commendation from the Head of the Republic of Ingushetia. , head of the department of restoration, museumification, and use of monuments, and Zalina Mukhazhirovna Tochieva , junior research fellow.

Timirlan Umarovich noted the importance and significance of the work done and also thanked the employees for their contribution to the preservation of historical and cultural monuments.

Today, January 20, the head of the Committee for State Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites, T.U. Kodzoev, summed up the results of the past year and set goals for 2026 at a board meeting.

The event was also attended by D.E. Ozdoyev, Director of the Ch. Akhriyev Institute of Humanities, M.Kh. Malsagov, Head of the E.I. Krupnov Archaeological Center, A.A. Sampiev, Acting Director of the Dzhayrakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve, and employees of subordinate organizations.

Timirlan Umarovich identified the preservation and protection of the historical and cultural heritage of the Republic of Ingushetia as one of the most important areas of state policy.

The head of the Committee cited figures on the total number of cultural heritage sites identified in the republic, how many of them are included in the Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage Sites of the Peoples of the Russian Federation, and how many of them are of federal, regional, and local (municipal) significance.

In 2025, work was carried out in the Jayrakhsky District to preserve cultural heritage sites (repair, restoration, conservation, emergency repair work), which began in 2023 thanks to an agreement between the Head of the Republic of Ingushetia, M. M. Kalimatov and the founder of the Safmar charitable foundation, renowned philanthropist M. S. Gutseriev.

During this period, work was carried out on 12 architectural complexes and individual monuments: “Vovnushki,” “Nizhny Puy,” “Keli,” “Lyalakh,” “Tumgi,” “Garak,” “Verkhniy Khayrakh,” “Eban,” “Furtoug,” Tsori, Tumgi, and Doshkakle. Work has begun on the comprehensive restoration of the Thaba-Erdy Temple, a federal heritage site. Work has been completed on strengthening the temple from the outside and inside to ensure safety during archaeological and restoration work. Restoration work has also begun on the Vovnushki architectural (castle) complex, with priority given to strengthening the rock foundation. Of the architectural complexes mentioned, restoration work has been fully completed on six complexes, which comprise 63 cultural heritage sites.

As part of the activities for state registration and protection of cultural heritage sites that have the characteristics of cultural heritage sites, the Committee for State Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites of the Republic of Ingushetia has received more than 900 applications for the inclusion of various cultural heritage sites in the register, which are part of 36 architectural complexes.

On the origin of the name “Khamkhi.”

From the scientific publication by N. D. Kodzoev, “The Toponym ‘Khamkhi’ and the Sacred Tree.”

Legends about the founding of Khamkhi explain its name as the proper name of the founder of the settlement itself, but this is not true. According to Ingush traditions, when forming toponyms for settlements, a component indicating the type of settlement is added to the name, for example, it can be the words “pkhya” (Golashpkhye), ‘khala’ (Egi-Khala), “koa” (Zovra-Koa) or “yurt” (Toi-Yurt), etc. If such a component is not added to the name, i.e., the name of the settlement consists of one word (Targim, Khamkhi, Kart, etc.), then such a name does not come from a person's proper name. In this case, the name has a different meaning. Usually, stories about the founders of a particular settlement or community arise much later than its foundation in an attempt to explain its name.

V.B. Vinogradov and K.Z. Chokaev noted that “the term ‘Khamkhi’ cannot be clearly etymologized, especially in its first part. The second part of the word is more transparent in etymological terms—hi—‘water, river’.”

A.S. Suleimanov, a researcher of the toponymy of Chechnya and Ingushetia, cites the folk etymology of Khamkh: “to appreciate, to honor, to respect, etc.” This etymology is derived from the Ingush word “kham.” It is possible that the name of the settlement of Khamkhi is associated with the concept of a “sacred tree”: from the Ingush word “kham” — “valuable, revered, sacred” and ‘hi’ — “trunk, tree.” Indeed, the cult of the “sacred tree” has been present in the myths of most peoples of the world since ancient times.

The word “hi” (‘tree’) has a counterpart in the Georgian language - “he”. In his linguistic works, the scientist N.Ya. Marr, known for his research in linguistics, oriental studies, Caucasian studies, history, ethnography, and archaeology, hypothesized that the Georgian word “khati” and the Armenian “khach,” which have a common root, come from the Georgian names for trees ‘he’ and “dzel.” Furthermore, based on historical evidence of the ancient veneration of trees in ancient Georgia and ancient Armenia, Nikolai Yakovlevich puts forward the proposition that the terms “he” and “dzel”, as well as the corresponding Megrelian form of the name of the tree dja (za), originally meant a cult tree, specifically an oak or a linden tree.

The mountain Georgians called the tree of abundance “hemhvani,” which sounds similar to the Ingush word “khamkhi.” At the Thaba-Yarda temple, located near Khamkhi, there was a fragment of a baked clay slab depicting a tree with two chamois on either side. This fragment of a tile (a type of brick) was found in the Tkhaba-Erda temple in 1901. In the 1920s, this fragment was kept in the Ingush Regional Museum in Vladikavkaz. Its further fate is unknown.

The image of the “sacred tree” was also widespread in the ancient civilizations of the Near East and the Caucasus.

Ethnographer and Georgian scholar V.V. Bardavelidze reports on a Svan drawing depicting a pine tree, “to whose branches two goat figures standing on either side are reaching,” which, in her opinion, represents “very close parallels to the motif of the ‘world tree’ or ‘tree of life’ widely spread in ancient Eastern art.”

Images of goats on both sides of the “sacred tree” — the “tree of life and abundance” — have been known since the time of Sumer. A seal belonging to an official from the temple of Uruk (Sumer, 4th–3rd millennium BC) depicts a flowering bush symbolizing the “sacred tree” with the goddess Inanna and two goats on either side of the “tree.”

Thus, it is quite possible that the name of the tower settlement of Khamkhi refers to the cult of the “sacred tree.”

Khamkhi is one of the largest castle-type tower settlements in Mountainous Ingushetia, located in the center of the Targim Basin on the left bank of the Assa River. Currently, Khamkhi is administratively part of the Dzejrakhsky District of the Republic of Ingushetia.

On January 24, the premiere of Bashir Gatagazhev's historical documentary film “Twelve Degrees” took place at the Cultural Development Center in Magas.

This project is the result of many years of research by scientists in Ingushetia.

The event was attended by the Head of the Committee for State Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites, T. U. Kodzoev, Acting Director of the Dzejrakh-Assin Museum-Reserve, Akhmetkhan Sampiev, as well as historians, public figures, researchers, university professors, cultural workers, and others.

The film “Twelve Degrees” is dedicated to the history of Ingushetia, the ancient Ingush temple “Thaba-Erdy” and the reconstructed historical objects – 12 thrones installed near the temple last summer. The film presents in detail the material collected over years of research, which reveals the peculiarities of the social structure and values passed down from generation to generation over the centuries.

As part of the work plan, museum-reserve employee M. Chakhkiev held an informative talk with students from the Gul village school about the republic's historical and cultural monuments and how to treat them with care.

The event took place in a friendly and warm atmosphere, during which the children learned about the significance of the towers for studying the history of the region and the importance of preserving them for future generations.

During these days, Magomed Akhilgov, an inspector at the museum-reserve, held a preventative discussion with students from the Dzheyrakh school, aimed at fostering a respectful attitude toward the region's historical and cultural monuments.

As a result of this event, the children learned more about the republic's cultural heritage and the importance of preserving it for future generations.