In June 2019, during archaeological excavations in the picturesque village of Eld Pha, located near the majestic Nikaroy tower complex in the Terloevsky Gorge, a group of archaeologists made an amazing discovery. In the masonry of one of the walls they found a stone with a mysterious inscription in the ancient Georgian alphabet.
Nikara (Chechen. Nikara) is an ancient tower complex, one of the best preserved monuments of medieval architecture of the Chechen Republic.
The inscription, made in asomtavruli font, consisted of only one word — «Tamr». This font, characteristic of Georgia of the X-XII centuries, is one of the oldest alphabets used to write the Georgian language. It was during this period of time, from 1184 to 1213, that the legendary Queen Tamar ruled in Georgia, known for her wisdom, strength and significant contribution to the development of Georgian culture and statehood.
The discovery of a stone with the inscription «Tamr» aroused great interest among archaeologists and historians. Firstly, the inscription confirms that there was a settlement in this area dating back to the X-XII centuries, which suggests that Eld-Pha could be associated with trade routes and cultural exchange between Georgia and other regions.
Interestingly, Nikaroy may be translated from the Georgian language as «white-browed». According to another version, Nicaroi is the Greek Necropolis — «city of the dead», (other-Greek. vεκρός — dead, πόλις — city).
*Nicaroy itself, according to archaeologists, may have existed since the II-I millennium BC.
Secondly, the presence of the name «Tamr» may be associated with the patronage of Queen Tamar. It is likely that there was some kind of object associated with her name in Eld Pha, for example, a temple, monastery or fortress built on her orders.
*Also, in ancient times, there was a cult place in Nikaroy «Merkan nane» – the Mother of the country (there was a temple dedicated to the Mother of the country), the rite of worship of which existed among the ancestors of the Georgian Iberians.
Nikaroy geographically belongs to the Chechen tayp Terloy. Its representatives, according to legends, had close ties with the royal dynasty of Georgia. In particular, the founder of the typa, Terloy Berg-Bichi (Birig-Bichi), was friends with the Georgian queen Tamara. According to local folklore, she even stayed with the Terloyites. Berg Beachy may have received the princely title from Tamara’s hands.
Some researchers believe that Queen Tamara herself could have been buried in Nikaroy. So far, the place of her burial has not been precisely determined. Different places are called, even Palestine. Nicaroy is also on the list.
However, the final confirmation of the true meaning of the inscription and the connection of Eld-Pha with Queen Tamar requires additional research. It is necessary to conduct a thorough study of the surrounding landscape, conduct deeper archaeological excavations and analyze other artifacts that can shed light on the history of this mysterious place.
The battle tower of Nikaroy village (Chechnya. Nicara)