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.

A small late medieval sanctuary with a square base (2.50 x 2.60 m) stands on the crest of a mountain ridge near the village of Kerbite. Earlier the building had a flattened gable-stepped roof. In the center of the front southern wall there was a vaulted doorway. In height the sanctuary reached up to two meters. On the outer side of the western wall there was a rectangular niche. The false vaulted chamber of the construction (1,80m) was covered with massive stone slabs. Two small rectangular niches were observed in the eastern wall of the chamber.

The cult structure was erected carefully, on lime mortar. The masonry of the walls is polygonal, approaching to ordinal. Yellow-white plaster was visible on the outside and inside of the walls. This monument was first noted by L.P.Semenov and I.P.Shcheblykin. Its stationary research, which revealed only bones of sacrificial domestic animals inside the building, was carried out by M.B.Muzhekhoev in 1976 (Chakhkiev D.Yu. Antiquities of mountainous Ingushetia).

The building is one-storied. The width of the southern wall is 2.50 meters. The eastern and western walls are 2.60 meters long, and the northern side is attached to the mountain slope. The thickness of the walls is 55 cm. Today the technical condition of the monument is unsatisfactory, its preservation is 50%, the roof is missing (field material).

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