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.

Acting Director of the Jeirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve Ahmedkhan Sampiyev together with the staff made a tour of the tower complex "Salgi".

The tower complex of Salgi (Salg) is a castle type on the crest of a mountain range at the beginning of the Salgin (Chulkhoy) gorge, on the right bank of the Chulkhi River. The exact date of construction of the tower complex Salgi is unknown – it is believed that it belongs to the late Middle Ages. The village occupies a strategically important position, closing the passage to the villages of the gorge along the lower path facing Georgia. Now there are 12 buildings, two military, ten residential towers with various stone extensions and defensive walls of the late Middle Ages. Most of the buildings are now in ruins.

According to legend, Salgi was built by immigrants from the village of Magote, located nearby on a mountain range. In the late Middle Ages, Salgi was the administrative, political and cultural center of the Chulkhoy Gorge. He was famous for his high-quality blacksmiths and weapons (bows, crossbows, checkers), connoisseurs of traditional medicine and natural phenomena, wise priests and priests (for example, Maha Dzaurov is known), brave warriors-riders. On the southern side of the village of Salgi, on the mountain slope, local residents until the middle of the XIX century actively mined nitrate, which was used for the preparation of different grade gunpowder. Along with samples of hand flint firearms, gunpowder was skillfully made by skilled craftsmen of the Salgi village. Blacksmiths worked in the village, women weaved canvases, pottery flourished (the results of archaeological excavations are evidence of this).

There were on the territory of the village and priests conducting ceremonies in the local sanctuaries, and healers who treated their fellow tribesmen from many ailments, medicinal herbs that were collected in spring and summer in the surrounding meadows.

The castle complex of Magote, located on the top of Zagal-Duk, located 1,100 m southeast of Salga, is territorially connected with this aul. By the way, the villages constantly gave each other signals about the danger with the help of special towers, if such a need arose.

From a strategic point of view, the tower complex of Salga is ideally located, as mentioned above, it literally closes the entrance to the Chulkhoi Canyon, which is otherwise called the Salgin Gorge.

Based on the results of the work, acts of the technical condition of the facilities will be drawn up and sent to higher organizations.

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