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.

Sanctuaries, as the most expressive monuments of pagan cult, have long attracted the attention of researchers of the region. However and now not all sanctuaries of the country are fixed by archeologists. Besides newly discovered monuments were not always studied and described with necessary for the subsequent work on them completeness and thoroughness.

In this material, we would like to show the temples and sanctuaries of mountainous Ingushetia, note their location from west to east and tell about the degree of their preservation.

In 800 meters southwest of Upper Jeyrakh, on a wooded mountain slope one can see the ruins of the sanctuary Sampai-Chug, which was dedicated to the patron saint of the home hearth.

The sanctuary of Myat-seli is located on the site of Table Mountain, at the very edge of the southern cliffs, at an altitude of 2560 meters above sea level. A feature of the sanctuary are two doors located in the west and east walls. The site has been preserved to its full height.

Myat-seli had the significance of one of the most important Ingush patrons. According to Ingush belief, Tamyzh-Yerda, Amgaly-Yerda and Myatseli were siblings, of whom Myatseli was the eldest.

The ruins of the temple of Myater-Dyala are located 200 meters above the temple of Myat-Seli, on the northern slope of the mountain. In ancient times, prayers were also held at this shrine, which is more compact than Myat-Seli.

At 450 meters above the towers of Morch stands the temple-sanctuary Morch-Seli XVI-XVII century, with a half-destroyed roof, it is the only more or less preserved temple at the foot of Table Mountain.

In the area of the village of Kerbite, on the crest of the mountain ridge, stands a small late medieval sanctuary building with a square base and a flattened gable-stepped roof.

This monument was first noted by L.P. Semenov and I.P. Shcheblykin. Its stationary research, which revealed inside the building only bones of sacrificial domestic animals, was carried out by M.B. Muzhukhoev in 1976. Apparently, this sanctuary belongs to the 17th century, as evidenced by local fragmentary historical and folklore stories.

The Itaz-Yerdy sanctuary temple is located 2 km south of Olgeti village, on the high right bank of the stream of Olgeti gorge. The temple has large dimensions, almost 10 meters long, 5 meters wide and 5 meters high. The inner room is divided by a lancet arch, which goes from the very floor.

Within the boundaries of the Egenta complex, 50 meters south of the residential towers stands the late medieval, dilapidated temple-sanctuary of Gal Erda. To the left of the entrance to the temple there is a plaster drawing of a horseman with a spear.

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