Ghalghai Koashke
Ghalghai Koashke or Ghalghai Na'arghe is the name of ancient Ingush outposts in the Assa valley of the Dzheyrakhsky District of Ingushetia, historically also known as the Durdzuk Gates or Gates of Durdzuketi. The entire territory is included in the Dzheyrakh-Assa State Historical-Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve and is under state protection.
Etymology
Ghalghai Koashke is a composition of the words — Ghalghai, which is the self-name of the Ingush people and koashke, which is the local plural form of the Ingush word kov, meaning "fortified settlement" or "outpost". According to professor Doshluko Malsagov this was used by the ancients to refer to gates in Caucasian gorges.
History
The Durdzuk Gates, also known as the Assa Gates, are reportedly known in Georgian chronicles since the VI century AD. D. Malsagov suggests that the IX century geographer Ibn al-Faqih's report of the building of 12 gates and stone fortifications in the country of the Durdzuks by the Persian king Anushirvan, which A. Genko locates in the region of the Assa Gorge, is connected with old Ingush legends about folk heroes Koloy-Kant, Pẋagal Bärē, Seska Solsa, et al., who guarded the Assa Gorge from the invasion of enemies from the plane. N. Yakovlev, notes that the Ingush have lived in the Ghalghai Gorge from time immemorial. A stone wall was made across the gorge by them, and their guards stood at the only entrance. No one could leave or enter without the permission of the guards. Among the defenders of these outposts, were many Ingush clans, notably the nearby Egakhoy, Targimkhoy, Khamkhoy, Gäginäqan, Barkhanoy, Barakhoy, Barkinkhoy, Yovloy and Kokurkhoy.
Geography
Many stone outposts and settlements can still be found on both banks of the Assa River in mountainous Ingushetia. The most known outpost is located on a rocky ledge at the exit from the Assa Gorge. According to legend, the tower complex was badly damaged as a result of a terrible collapse. The remains of the once five-story battle tower and residential buildings have been preserved in the fortress.