Prospects of research of fortification monuments in the Republic Tyva

Fortification monuments make a particular layer in the history of Tuva. The most part of these was constructed in period of Uighur khaganate (745-840). Then in the central and western part of Tuva the extended defensive line was created. After defeat of the Uyghur the territory of Tuva was a part Kirghiz khaganate (the IX-X centuries A.D.). About construction Yenisei kyrgyz's strengthened constructions in Tuva is not known. In the present article the fortification constructions limited to monuments with the following elements are considered: defensive walls or shaft, gate-keep and wall towers and pilons (buttresses), ditches. First of all sites of ancient settlement and observation posts of the period of Uighur khaganate, and also a some strengthened settlements previously dated by the Hun-Sarmatian period got to their number. During 2006-2011 the author participated in many archaeological exploration and excavations of fortification monuments of Tuva. In 2006 group of the Tuvan Institute of Humanities Researches the site of ancient settlement Celinnoe in Tandy district was revealed. Expedition on scientific research of ancient-Uyghur fortress of Por-Bazhyn in 2007-2008 fix the main design features of a fortress. During the Russian-Mongolian joint archaeological expedition in 2011 most sites of ancient settlement of the central and western Tuva - Baryk, Shagonarsky's, Bazhyn-Alaak, Balgash-Bazhyn, Malgash-Bazhyn, Teeli-5, and also the ancient-Mongol cities on Elegest and Mezhegey rivers were surveyed. The archaeological investigation of TIGI which has been carried out by the author in October, 2011 allowed to investigate 7 sites of ancient settlement by means of exploration pits. Results of the carried-out works allow to argue that research of fortification constructions is necessary to continue because of destruction of monuments by the anthropogenic and the natural factors, absence of exact dating of some sites of ancient settlement (Celinnoe, Baryk, Iyme), complexity of definition of a functional purpose, a role of sites of ancient settlement (Por-Bazhyn, Shagonarsky's sites of ancient settlement). New researches can promote further preservation of the most safe fortification monuments and creation on their base of museum open-air. Most perspective in this plan are Shagonarsky's sites of ancient settlement, Bazhyn-Alaak, Bal-gash-Bazhyn and Malgash-Bazhyn. We didn't include Por-Bazhyn in this list because of its inaccessibility, both in territorial and in the natural and geographical plan that doesn't give possibility is high-grade to use its historical and cultural potential. However uniqueness of this monument should induce scientific community and the state structures, first of all, Department of protection of a cultural heritage to consider all possibilities on rescue of a monument from inevitable destruction.

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