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.

Employees of the Jeirakh-Assinsky Museum-Reserve, within the framework of the work plan to identify and account for previously unrecorded architectural monuments, and partners of the institution, within the framework of the implementation of the National Object Management and Safety System "Territory" on the territory of the museum-reserve, conducted joint studies of cave-type structures on the southern slope of Table Mountain in the Jeirakh district.

As a result of the measures taken, the locations of 6 buildings were determined, measurements of the front and interior parts of the premises were made, photofixation was made.

Thus, the staff of the museum-reserve in the process of work noted the following interesting details of rock buildings:

The front part of the first building is represented by a solid masonry of arched form, closing the entrance to the cave, there is an entrance opening and a small window above the opening.

The second structure has about a dozen small holes, probably loopholes throughout the area of the front wall.

The front part of the fourth structure consists of two masonry, separated by rock. The clutches close two interconnected caves. Opposite the entrance opening there is a deepening into the rock part with a depth of 6.7 m, a height of no more than 1.5 m, protrusions for the ceilings of the second tier are noticeable on the wall.

In the left part of the sixth building, there is a depression forming a separate room, the depth of which is 7.7 m, the width is 4.2 m.

These are the interim results of the conducted research, work in this direction continues, according to unspecified data, there are about three dozen rock buildings on the slopes of Table Mountain, they will all be taken into account and by the Order of the Committee for the State Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites of the Republic of Ingushetia put on the state register.

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