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.

Today we want to devote this material to such an unpleasant phenomenon as vandalism in the mountains. Vandalism is understood as acts of destructive human behavior, during which objects of art and culture are destroyed or desecrated.

Unfortunately, we have to state that employees of the museum-reserve have repeatedly recorded cases of vandalism in the mountainous area.

Despite the fact that, in our work, we repeatedly remind visitors to the mountainous area about the fragility of monuments, that we are doing irreparable damage to monuments with our illegal actions, many stubbornly ignore the comments and climb some objects that are already under threat of collapse, put inscriptions on them, make bonfires in the wrong place, leave garbage behind, etc.

As part of our work, we conducted introductory conversations with students of the SOS of the republic, talked about the rules of visiting the mountainous terrain, about the need to observe cleanliness and order on the territory of monuments, but we could not assume that there was a need to explain such things to adults.

Monuments of history and culture are the memory of our ancestors, it is our historical homeland, it is, finally, the heritage of the entire Ingush people, so we have no moral right not only to its destruction, desecration, we have no right even to its oblivion.

Therefore, taking this opportunity, as we condemn those who desecrate the memory of ancestors, we also thank all those who consciously relate to the monuments of antiquity, all who, showing an active civic position, spend subbotniks in the mountainous area, are engaged in cutting down unwanted vegetation and bring the territory of the reserve into proper sanitary condition.

As we have repeatedly said, monuments of history and culture are under state protection. Persons who caused damage to the object of cultural heritage shall bear criminal, administrative and other liability in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

I would also like to remind some offenders that in addition to installed security cameras, many complexes are protected by “photo traps”, which give an unmistakable ability to recognize them.

In this regard, as part of our work, we warn that the photos of the next violators on a huge banner, we will hang at the entrance to the Dzheyrakh district, and will also post them on their Telegram channel and on the official website of the institution, and they will have a unique opportunity to “glorify” themselves throughout the republic.

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