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Gamsutl’ is an old Avar village in Gunibsky district, Dagestan. Its carved in rock on top of a mountain at 1400 meters altitude (4600 feet).
In the 1950’s the inhabitants were forced by the Soviets to move to collective farms and the village was destroyed. It is listed as settlement but it has yet to be listed as a historical site.
Interview with the last (and only) resident of Gamsutl’
Vedensky district is situated in the southeast of Chechnya. In Vedensky you can find “the pearl of Caucasus” – Kezenoy-am lake (Blue lake), the biggest lake in North Caucasus. On the way to Kezenoy-am there are several old settlements – Karachoy, ancient Khoi, Kazenoy fortress, Makazhoy the old land of Cheberloy clans – ” the land of mountain-dwellers”.
Mountain road Chechnya Caucasus mountains
Soldiers near Karachoy
Mountain road between Kharachoy – Kazenoyam lake
Kharachoy village is one of the main stopovers on the way to Kezenoy-am lake. It is an old ancestral village and place of birth of Abrekov Zelimkhan. Like every old village, it had its own watchtower which was destroyed during the 1990’s wars . A symbolical tower was rebuilt in 2012.
The village was in the way of intense fighting during the 1st and 2nd Russian war but it was spared from destruction.
Kharachoy watchtower
Abrekov Zelimkhan monument
Abrekov Zelimkhan monument
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road to Kezenoy-am lake, Caucasus mountains
River Kovkhi falling into Kezenoy-Am lake
Kezenoy-am lake
The Vainakh (Nakh) settlements are found in Ingushetia and Chechnya. The towers are middle-age fortress complex meant to defend from foreign invaders. The settlements consisted of high military defense towers and smaller residential towers.
The oldest fortifications date back to the 1st century AD. The construction of towers grew after the Mongol invasion.
The custom said that a Nakh tower had to be built within a year from nearby river stones (not finishing work in a year was considered a sign of weakness which was a great shame in the Caucasus).
The towers gained popularity after the 12th century AD when the Mongols devastated the region. The Mongol invasion, which continued further into Europe, pushed its native population to live high in the mountains in fortified villages. They were destroyed in large part by the Russians after the 19 century colonial invasion and in the 20th century by the Soviet government. During the 1990’s Chechen wars, it was reported that more towers were damaged by military helicopters.
* Ingushetia’s history told by its own people http://youtu.be/hSrmticKQNM *
North Caucasus Land 