Jeyrakh-Assin Reserve
Jeyrakh-Assin Reserve

The Jeyrakh-Assin historical, architectural and natural museum-reserve is located within the boundaries of the Jeyrakh district of the Republic of Ingushetia on the northern slopes of the foothills of the Central part of the Greater Caucasus Range. The reserve was established on June 2, 1988. The area of the reserve is slightly more than 627 square kilometers. The activity of the reserve is aimed at ensuring the preservation, restoration and study of territorial complexes of cultural and natural heritage, material and spiritual values in their traditional historical (cultural and natural) environment. On the territory of the museum-reserve there are 122 ancient architectural complexes, including more than 2,670 objects of cultural significance, including defensive and residential towers, burial crypts, Christian and pagan sanctuaries and temples. The oldest buildings of the megalithic type belong to the middle of the second millennium BC. Every year, significant scientific discoveries are made on the territory of the reserve, new objects are identified, archaeological expeditions are constantly working, scientists from all over the world come. Since 1996, the reserve has been a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Significant value in the reserve is given to work on creating conditions for the development of organized tourism, its educational and service component.

The staff of the museum-reserve monitored two Targim sanctuary temples located 2 km north of Targim settlement, on the mountain slope of the right bank of the Assy River. The monuments are half-destroyed, the preservation is about 20-30%.

The first temple is a building of simple hall composition with one apse and a transverse arch, the pillars of which slightly protrude from the masonry walls. The figures of human silhouettes are preserved on the northern wall. Inside the room is covered with stones.

Near the temple there is a semi-subterranean tomb.

At the second temple only the central part (church) 75-80% is preserved. A distinctive feature of the temple is the presence of an underground crypt tomb, the access to which was built under the western wall of the temple.

The employees of the museum-reserve took measurements of the object and made photo-fixation. The condition of the cult monuments is assessed as extremely critical. Researchers date these monuments X-XI centuries.

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