Egikal

Egikal (Russian: Эгикал; Ingush: Аьги-Кхаьлла, romanized: Ägi-Qälla, lit. 'Settlement of Ägi') is a city-settlement (aul) in the Dzheyrakhsky District of Ingushetia. It is part of the rural settlement (administrative center) of Guli.^[4] Within its territory are numerous cultural monuments of ancient and medieval Ingush architecture: cyclopean tower-type dwellings, five combat towers (Ingush: вӀов, vhóv), six semi-combat towers, and fifty residential towers (Ingush: гӀала, ghāla). There are also a large number of diverse burial sites, including 106 crypt burial grounds, one mausoleum, and three sanctuaries.^[5] These structures, along with the entire territory of the settlement, are currently part of the Dzheyrakh-Assa State Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve and are under state protection.

Egikal Эгикал
Aul
Other transcription(s)
• Ingush	Аьгикхаьлла
Location of Egikal
Egikal Location of Egikal Show map of Russia Egikal Egikal (Republic of Ingushetia) Show map of Republic of Ingushetia
Coordinates: 42°50′01″N 44°55′05″E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Ingushetia
Population  (2010 Census)[1]
• Total	5
Administrative status
• Subordinated to	Dzheyrakhsky District
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [2])
Postal code(s)[3]	386430
OKTMO ID	26620450146

Geography

Egikal is located 85 km south of the capital, Magas, and 25 km east of the district centre, Dzheyrakh. The nearest settlements are: Barkhane and Tori to the north, Targim to the east, Khamkhi to the southeast, and Leymi and Ozig to the west.^[6]

History

Within the settlement is a site associated with the Kura–Araxes culture, known as the “Egikal burial ground” [ru]. It is located to the west of the settlement, toward the Targim Basin, on the southern slopes of a rocky range, and dates to the end of the 3rd millennium BC. The burial ground was discovered and studied by B. M. Khashagulgov in 1988.^[7] Also located in Egikal are the remains of more than 15 megalithic cyclopean dwellings dating from the second half of the 2nd millennium BC to the 15th century AD.^[8]

Demographics

According to the censuses conducted in 1874, 1883, 1890, 1914, and 1926, the population of Egikal consisted entirely of ethnic Ingush people.^{[9][10][11][12][13]}