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 medieval tower complex Shoan is located in the picturesque Shoan Gorge near the Armkhi River. The etymology of the name is obscure (according to one data, the ancestor of the Shankhoi-Shoa migrated from Barkin and founded Shoani, according to others Shoankhoi got its name from the habitat in the highlands from “shuo” - abyss, precipice).

At a glance, this complex resembles a swallow's nest clinging to a steep cliff. There was once one combat tower and 11 residential towers. As in all tower complexes of mountainous Ingushetia, there is a vaulted doorway on the second floor of the combat tower, and on the first floor there are sacks for storing agricultural supplies. According to the stories of old residents, Shoan was home to master gunsmiths, girls were famous for their weaving skills and ability to embroider with gold, silver and beads.

On the left bank of the river dividing Shoan into two parts, at the entrance to the Shoan gorge, on a high slope there is a watchtower, it is almost destroyed today. Nearby is the cemetery of those distant times. The gravestones (churtash) are overgrown with green moss. Elmarza-Khyazha, recognized as a saint in Ingushetia, is said to have been buried here.

Historians and archaeologists have noted and described the Shoan single semi-subterranean crypt, crypt burial grounds, stone box burial ground. There is a Shoan sanctuary of Tusholi, memorial chambers. On the eastern side of Shoan there are two pillar-shaped sanctuaries.

Particularly notable is the so-called Shuan “City of the Dead” (“Mohde”), located 1.0 km west of the complex, in the Mohde locality.

The scale of the “Shuansky City of the Dead” (Mohde) is impressive - it is the largest necropolis in the region and in the region, consisting of more than 250 underground and semi-underground collective crypt vaults of the late Middle Ages.

This unique crypt necropolis has been permanently studied since the end of the XIX century by V. F. Miller, V. I. Dolbezhev, L. P. Semenov, Yo. I. Krupnov, M.X. Kataev, M.V. Muzhukhoev, D.Y. Chakhkiev, E.I. Narozhny, R.A. Dautova, X.M. Mamaev and other researchers, whose scientific works give general and detailed characterization of many local tombs, burial rites, found here very numerous and diverse finds.

The results of the latest scientific research allow us to attribute this burial ground as a whole to the second half of the XIII-XV centuries.

At present, Shoan is deserted, except for S. Getagazov, who settled there. Getagazov, who settled here in 1992.

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