Erisi's tower complex consists of eight combat and several dozen residential towers. The height of some structures reaches 30 meters. In the Jaire district of Ingushetia there is a medieval tower complex Erzi. Erzi translated into Russian means "Eagle". According to one of the local legends, once the inhabitants of Aul Kerbita came to this place and cut down a tree. They saw an eagle nest with chicks. So the settlement appeared in this place became known as Ersi. Eagle, apparently, became a sacred bird for the local population. So, during the study in the XIX century, the Bronze chicken was found in Erze's sanctuary, made in the form of an eagular figure of 38 centimeters height. The object was dated to the VIII century n. e. However, it is possible that the subject turned out to be in Aul by chance, since he, apparently, was made far outside the settlement. Nearby there was a gorge Alansky Gate - an important passage through the main Caucasian ridge. Perhaps the subject was in one of the trading caravans in the gorge.

According to the latest data, it was a detail of a military net. Once Erzya was a big aul. It can be judged on its richness on the large stone towers that have been preserved so far. There are many towers on the territory of Ingushetia, but it is in Ersi them most. The complex consists of eight combat, two hail and residues of about 50 small residential towers and walls. The very impression is made, of course, the majestic combat towers, the height of which reaches 30 meters. Unlike other combat towers found in the Caucasus, the combat towers in Ingushetia are narrower. Constructions have a square base of 5x5 meters.

At the top, they end with the pyramid-stepped roofs, although there are towers and a flat roof. The roof of the pyramidally stepped towers was made of shale plates, a large cone-shaped stone was installed at the top. And the construction of the towers was suitable with special care. At first they chose the place where the construction will be erected. As such foundate, such towers did not have. In place, where it was assumed to build a building, first drank the soil and watered with milk. It was done until the milk stopped absorbed. During the construction of Ingush towers, the proximity of the future structures towards the river or the spring was taken into account. The construction of the tower was engaged in one of the birth of Aul. The richer was the genus, the tower was higher and safer. The tower was built in such a way that one of her booties was visible at least one more tower. First, several major stone blocks laid more human growth. Each such stone was valued as one bull. Four Kamenotes boulders crap for 12 days.

Deliver a stone along the slope was also a difficult task. For this, 12 bulls were injected. The towers in Ersi were folded from river boulders, only at the corners of the master put massive dashest stones. The cost of one corner stone was equal to the cost of the sheep. The tower laying was accompanied by ritual actions. When they put the first rows of stones, they were sprinkled by the blood of a ram brought sacrificed. Scale from the inside from the second floor. In the XII-XIII centuries, the mountains accounted for without a solution, carefully customizing the stones. Later used lime mortar. Sometimes the architects left petroglyphs on the stones. The tower was erected throughout the year. If the construction was delayed, it was a big shame for the kind. The tower that did not have time to be taken on time was not completed. Aul Ersi is famous for its rich genus. From this village came out a large number of famous genera in Ingushetia. During his heyday, Ersi could put more than 60 riders in full service. The glory of local builders has spread far beyond the limits of the Jaciera gorge. Masters were invited to build towers in the territory of neighboring states. However, to build the combat towers outside the Motherland, local craftsmen were prohibited. They were allowed to build only hazel and residential towers. The pavement towers were significantly higher residential. They had bottlenecks and were more adapted for defense. Stones for combat towers were processed carefully than for residential. As the towers were high enough, at the level of the fifth floor they did a stone arch to enhance the design. It also prevented the spread of fire in the event of arson.

All combat towers had a conical form. It was possible to rise to the upper floors only with the help of the withdrawal stairs. They could be raised at any time. They passed between the floors through the hatches located in the corners of the tower. The entrance to the tower was at the level of the second floor. This made the use of Taran useless. The entrance closed from the inside with wooden sash and locked on a wooden bar. On the first floor sometimes placed prisoners. There were storage facilities. In the top of the tower, stones were harvested for throwing, onions, arrows and other weapons. There were narrow bobbits and observation slots in the tower, and upstairs - battle balconies-machine. During armed conflicts, women and children were at the bottom of the towers - the warriors fought on the upper floors.

Local residents were ready for siege, so wells were often suitable in the towers and underground transitions under the tower. The walls of the towers should not have any protrusions so that the enemy could not climb them. The motherboard towers in Ingushetia were built over several centuries. The last similar towers here were erected in the XVIII century. Now these medieval monuments are not in good condition. In 2012, a project for the reconstruction of the towers started in Ingushetia.

Photo: State natural Reserve "Ersi"

In the Jaciera gorge and the surrounding area it is difficult to find a point from which it is not to see at least one tower or an ancient burial ground: it is now, after deportation and mass relocation of the mountains on the plain, these places became small, but it was no time that there was no time historical Motherland The strongest Ingush teypov.

For a few centuries ago, Ingushy was divided into several teypers-Shahars: Jaeranes, Torins, Metskhaltsi, Hamhintsy . Mansion cost orstiha, who are considered in the same time Ingush, and Chechens, and sometimes allocate in separate nationality.

Large villages of strong shahares are impressive agglomeration of generic towers - on medieval standards can be considered real cities. Especially large and spectacular are somewhat - such as Erze, Targim and Egical, alas, for a lack of time I did not go out how to explore them all (however, Targim, and Egicale managed to see from the road along the way to Thaba-Yerda). So the next morning, sleeping in a big kunatsky on the hubby yard under the roof knock on the roof, I decided to move in Ersi, which from the "first-length" old villages of the gorge is closest to the modern Jacehu.

Once Erzya (translated - "Eagle") belonged to the Metskal Shahara - a strong society, to which several other large villages were also related. Now the village is located below, at the very road - on the old place, in the towers, only a shepherdsy Kos remained to my arrival (Nazir even went to specially recognize from the local, whether the dogs are tied at the top - they should be afraid of them any more than people).

Most of the remaining buildings of Erzi - residential towers, squat and wide in the ground, are in Ingush called Giala. But first of all, the dominant over them is predatory and slender biowe- Combat towers.

Martial towers in Erzi nine - only the foundations remained from the part, and one was rebuilt quite recently.

The building "WA", adapted exclusively for defense, demanded more skill from the architect, and cost much more expensive; The own combat tower could afford not every TEYP. Accordingly, the builders of such towers were famous far beyond their Shahares. Family of the Nazi, who took me away in Jacea, belongs to Tempu Llana - from him and the decisions of Llanov, one of the few builders of the towers, whose name remained in history.

"Vainakhov existed a custom," Markovin wrote, "the place selected for the tower was poured by milk. If the milk did not succeed in the ground, then such a plot was considered good and then the construction began. With the construction of the masters, the masters did not use outdoor forests. They were built From the inside. As the building grows, the boards were settled. The works were carried out with the help of a special gate - "Chegyrk", they raised the stone blocks and shale slabs. "

Inside one of the "WA" managed to climb - Impressed the interesting crusade:

Loaded - unchanged crypt necropolis. Islam came to these mountains, we recall, quite recently - the pagan funeral traditions in these parts were burning only in the XIX century, if not later.

From the ruins I finally drove the rain - Again, Nazir promised to pick me up at the appointed period below (option "Yes, there is a couple of kilometers, I calmly doomed on foot" categorically did not go). Later, he had a little in front of him at home and shattered with the whole numerous family, I was going to get back to the military-Georgian road - and further on Tbilisi.

Nazir and the family were going to the neighboring village on the funeral, and by making a small hook, they brought me to the Ossetian post. Soon, a short-time having to stand on the track and across the words with a duty fat Ossetian-policeman, I was already in the Upper Lars, on the border.

The border guard girl, seeing my Kiev stamps in my passport for January and February, did not fail to call individuals - soon the young man appeared with an inconspicuous, but an insightful face and began to ask me, if I know that ITRK journalists were killed in the Donbass (there was an end June) and what emotions I feel about this - in parallel with a look at me. To complete the interrogation with the addiction, I had to wave a young man by the editorial ID, after which the question was removed. Georgian customs, as always, passed without a bitch and zadorinka.

By that time, we barely reacted from Sil: In May, a catastrophic landslide came up with Kazbek, and a month and a half movement between Russia and Georgia was completely blocked. I was lucky: after my trip there was a second gathering, again blocking the road for a long time.

Kazbega, renamed Saakashvili to Stepantsmind, has greatly changed over the nine years since I got there for the first time - a bunch of guesthouses and restaurants appeared, on the streets - crowd of backpackers and trekkers. I go out of the city on foot, calculating to the ancient basilica in Sion, kilometers in five from the city - on the mountain of this temple of the X century to the first visit to Georgia, we once spent the night under open sky, biting peaches and bread-butter, which the boy-altar boy treated us.

The passing car stopped right before Tbilisi with a pleasant Russian-speaking guy-tank, an OSCE employee, upset my plans - I decided not to give up such an abay and move directly to the capital. But about Tbilisi - some other time.

Ingushetia Georgia-Azerbaijan Dagestan, Summer 2014

In Ingushetia, we drove through Chechnya. Immediately, as founded in Chechnya, the absence of garbage and billboards along the route rushed into the eyes. In cities and villages, new roads, everything is built everywhere, but mostly already built. Magishniki, unfortunately, as elsewhere. And why do the rooms indicate the region ??? It turns out only to make it easier for people to rob :)
In Ingushetia, we were met with ancient Caucasian hospitality and sent to the Ersi Reserve. This is a hundredth in order to form a reserve in Russia, which was created in 2000. The reserve is famous for its medieval (XII-XVII) by the tower complexes. The concentration of these structures is especially high on the territory of the reserve, but some are outside the boundaries of the reserve. Each complex belongs to a specific family (it is in the present time, since now the living descendants know their generic settlements). Almost all structures consist of low residential towers (3-4 levels), high defensive Tower (It happens from one to 5-6) and the crypt. Everything is located very compact. Neighboring structures are often literally a few hundred meters.
Ozig.Generic settlement of Barkinhoev. By the way, director of the Ersi Barkinhoev Reserve B.U. Shot into the previous trip in June.

Despite the fact that these are architectural monuments, they are often used in the economy, as cattle pens or the like. Some even live.

Famous anticians. In 2008, the launcher's taper complex became the finalist of the competitive project. Seven wonders of Russia.

I liked Targim more.

But I have the most stronger impression from meeting with the redorochimi citys. Previously, these birds have never seen. I could not really remove, but still.

Krasnochihah Gorikhvostka descend from the mountains in the valley of r. Ascess only in winter. In summer, stone ruins are happy to use ordinary chambers and Chernushki Gorikhvostka for nesting.

Generic towers Ingush (Gialgiai).
Erisi's tower complex consists of eight combat and several dozen residential towers. The height of some structures reaches 30 meters.
In the Jaciera district of Ingushetia there is a medieval Ersi Tower Complex. Erzi translated into Russian means "Eagle". According to one of the local legends, once the inhabitants of Aul Kerbita came to this place and cut down a tree. They saw an eagle nest with chicks. So the settlement appeared in this place became known as Ersi. Eagle, apparently, became a sacred bird for the local population. So, during the study in the XIX century, the Bronze chicken was found in Erze's sanctuary, made in the form of an eagular figure of 38 centimeters height. The object was dated to the VIII century n. e. However, it is possible that the subject turned out to be in Aul by chance, since he, apparently, was made far outside the settlement. Nearby there was a gorge Alansky Gate - an important passage through the main Caucasian ridge. Perhaps the subject was in one of the trading caravans in the gorge. According to the latest data, it was a detail of a military net.
Once Erzya was a big aul. It can be judged on its richness on the large stone towers that have been preserved so far. There are many towers on the territory of Ingushetia, but it is in Ersi them most. The complex consists of eight combat, two hail and residue about 50 small residential towers and walls.
Of course, the majestic combat towers, the height of which reaches 30 meters, is particularly impressed. Unlike other combat towers found in the Caucasus, the combat towers in Ingushetia are narrower. Constructions have a square base of 5x5 meters. At the top, they end with the pyramid-stepped roofs, although there are towers and a flat roof. The roof of pyramidally stepped towers was made of shale plates, a large cone-shaped stone was installed at the top.
The construction of the towers was approached with special care. At first they chose the place where the construction will be erected. As such foundate, such towers did not have. In place, where it was assumed to build a building, first drank the soil and watered with milk. It was done until the milk stopped absorbed. In the construction of Ingush towers, the proximity of the future structures towards the river or the spring was taken into account.
The construction of the tower was engaged in one of the birth of aula. The richer was the genus, the tower was higher and safer. The tower was built in such a way that one of her booties was visible at least one more tower. First, several major stone blocks laid more human growth. Each such stone was valued as one bull. Four Kamenotes boulders crap for 12 days. Deliver a stone along the slope was also a difficult task. For this, 12 bulls were injected. The towers in Ersi were folded from river boulders, only at the corners of the master put massive dashest stones. The cost of one corner stone was equal to the cost of the sheep. The tower laying was accompanied by ritual actions. When they put the first rows of stones, they were sprinkled by the blood of a ram brought sacrificed.
Starting from the second floor, the stones were put from the inside. In the XII-XIII centuries, the mountains accounted for without a solution, carefully customizing the stones. Later used lime mortar. Sometimes the architects left petroglyphs on the stones. The tower was erected throughout the year. If the construction was delayed, it was a big shame for the kind. The tower that did not have time to be taken on time were not completed.
Aul Erzya is famous for its rich childs. From this village there was a large number of famous genera in Ingushetia. During his heyday, Ersi could put more than 60 riders in full service. The glory of local builders has spread far beyond the limits of the Jaciera gorge. Masters were invited to build towers in the territory of neighboring states. However, to build the combat towers outside the Motherland, local craftsmen were prohibited. They were allowed to build only hazel and residential towers.
The combat towers were significantly higher residential. They had bottlenecks and were more adapted for defense. Stones for combat towers were processed carefully than for residential. As the towers were high enough, at the level of the fifth floor they did a stone arch to enhance the design. It also prevented the spread of fire in the event of arson. All combat towers had a conical form. It was possible to rise to the upper floors only with the help of the withdrawal stairs. They could be raised at any time. They passed between the floors through the hatches located in the corners of the tower. The entrance to the tower was at the level of the second floor. This made the use of Taran useless. The entrance closed from the inside with wooden sash and locked on a wooden bar. On the first floor sometimes placed prisoners. There were storage facilities. In the top of the tower, stones were harvested for throwing, onions, arrows and other weapons. There were narrow bobbits and observation slots in the tower, and upstairs - battle balconies-machine. During armed conflicts, women and children were at the bottom of the towers - the warriors fought on the upper floors. The locals were ready for siege, so wells and underground transitions under the tower were often suitable in the towers. The walls of the towers should not have any projections so that the enemy could not climb them.
The combat towers in Ingushetia were built over several centuries. The last similar towers here were erected in the XVIII century. Now these medieval monuments are not in good condition. In 2012, a project for the reconstruction of the towers started in Ingushetia.

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