Sometimes mysterious and little-studied places are overgrown with legends. One of such places is the settlement of Leso-Kiafar. Excavations have been repeatedly carried out at this place. And archaeologists, judging by the found household items and artifacts, suggest that this is a monument to Alan or Sarmatian cultures. Esoteric people drew attention to the presence of places of power in the Leso-Kiafar settlement and put forward their hypotheses about the presence of Atlanteans in these places. But, in all likelihood, the truth is somewhere in between.
If you go back in time
In the Karachay-Cherkess Republic there is a little-studied and inaccessible place of the ancient settlement Leso-Kiafar. According to archaeologists, it was once an ancient lost city, built on a high ridge, which was located between the rivers Käfar and Krivaya. Throughout the ridge, called the Spire, you can see the houses destroyed by time, the walls and streets. Dolmens, stone figures, crosses, inscriptions similar to runes, rock carvings of people and animals - all these are layers of each other of several eras. By the way, in translation from the Karachay language, “kyafar” means “unfaithful”, that is, the Christians who lived here before the Muslims.
Monuments such as this inaccessible, rooted in the depths of centuries, ancient settlement, can hardly be found in Russia. In its historical significance, it should be reserved, but neither serious excavations nor scientific studies are carried out here. Naturally, he does not have a protective status that could protect him from vandalism.
Type of fortification
What does the city that once existed in these places look like? Having arrived from the Leso-Käfar farm to this area, groups of tourists see for almost two kilometers the ruins of houses, some stone figures and fortress walls, dug into the ground from time to time. There are also dolmens here, there are nineteen of them. If you start to peer into the paths and stacked stones in more detail, you can consider them similar to the streets leading to the square almost in the center of the city.
Such seemingly interesting material should be of interest to historians, archaeologists and scientists. There were no thorough archaeological expeditions in these parts. Those studies that were carried out by small groups of interested teachers, historians, archaeologists were not enough.
Something About Research
The first study of the settlement was carried out in 1952-1953 by students of the Pyatigorsk Pedagogical Institute P.G. Akritas and V.A. Kuznetsov. Twenty years later, V.I. began to study the Jordanian dolmens. Markovin. Ten years later, in 1985, excavations were carried out on the Spire, and destroyed houses were investigated. Based on the results of excavations and studies of the material obtained, they started talking about the Kiafar settlement, as the alleged place of government in Alanya in the XI century Durgulele the Great. In the 90s, an expedition was carried out to study the cult part of the settlement and a map was compiled.
Some findings of the expeditions
As a result of archaeological excavations, material was obtained on the basis of which it was concluded that the construction of the main part of the settlement dates back to the 11th century, and fragments of dolmens indicate an age that is much older than the settlement. Their appearance dates back to the II century BC. e. However, no one exactly said if it was just a city of Alans, or still it was a large religious complex. In fact, scientists investigated a very small part of the settlement. And for the part of the research that was conducted, the materials were not published.
Thus, all kinds of hypotheses fill the scientific void, mystical speculations about cosmic energy appear, which either emanates from dolmens or pour from them from heaven.
About Käfar Dolmens
On the approaches to the settlement one gets the impression that you are in an enchanted forest with rocks growing directly from the ground, slabs with rock inscriptions, grassy masonry of stone walls, and dolmens - clumps of an unknown destination (some tourists think) with runic symbols. Leso-Käfar dolmens still remain insufficiently studied, and, as a result, are surrounded by myths and legends. Basically, people come here in search of a place of power engaged in esotericism. They say that the Käfar settlement is located on a fault in the earth’s crust in a geopathic zone. Dolmens in these places are the only surviving necropolis in Europe. The unofficial name of which is "City of the Sun."
Dolmens - the mystery of science
Dolmens are still a mystery to science. Why these stone structures were built, and it is unknown to science who built them. There is an assumption that those who built them were the first inhabitants of the Leso-Kiafar settlement. When the Alans arrived (Iranian-speaking nomads) is also not known. Artifacts found during excavations indicate that the Alans could live in these places from the 7th to the 13th centuries. The largest richly decorated dolmen from the Leso-Kiafar settlement is currently an exhibit of the Stavropol Museum of Local Lore. It is considered the mausoleum of the Alan leader.
There are several versions about the appointment of dolmens. The most famous versions include the following:
- Dolmens are part of a single all-planetary system. They are conductors with an information grid.
- Dolmens are the last refuge of the elders who possessed knowledge. They were respected by their people. There was such a belief: the hermit would die without food and water, and his spirit would remain in the dolmen. And on the spiritual plane, he will be able to convey to the descendants the knowledge that his people possessed.
- Dolmens are tombs for the burial of noble members of society.
- Perhaps they were used to psychologically affect a person.
Named Dolmens
You can believe or not believe in the power of dolmens, but indifferent people do not come here to Leso-Käfar. The evidence is the assignment of names to dolmens. Esoterics give them, and just tourists. As they say in their reviews of Lesotho-Käfar, the names go by feeling. So, for example, a stone crypt is called a dolmen of love, where a girl went who had her fiancé died before the wedding. On its stones, a runic letter with figures of people and deer is clearly visible. The rock of councils is the dolmen, around which, according to legend, the community gathered and turned to the spirits of their ancestors.
Be sure to come to the ancient settlement tourists go to the road Rethinking. Those who have been there say that at this place you can ask a question that excites you and get an answer. This refers to the reception of characters and their recognition.
How to get to the hillfort?
You can drive to Leso-Kiafar both by car or by bus from the village of Zelenchukskaya to the ascent to the hillfort. This is about two kilometers. The road passes near the Käfar River. After the wetland on the river you need to turn into the forest. From this place you can already see the hillfort. It is located on a narrow cape, which is called the Spire. Further rise up to the left of the road. Artifacts are literally under your feet when lifting. At the entrance to the settlement lies a stone of Babylon. On it are inscribed squares. It is assumed that the "Babylon" priests wondered. Further there are plates with drawings.
On many plates of the settlement deer and crosses are painted. That is why it is believed that Muslims who moved to these lands called the river Käfar - the river of infidels. When Christianity was adopted, a church was built in front of the altar, fragments of which were preserved.
Even during the expedition I.A. Arzhantseva was found a camera with steps down. The entrance was walled up. In the chamber itself, human bones and fragments of ceramics were found.
A little higher before the traveler appear two remnant rocks. One as a pillar (about 5 meters) is located two meters from a large rock. Next are the steps to the platform with huge stones. From the cliffs the trail leads further up. The path is very similar to the main street, limited by masonry with the remains of ancient buildings along the side of the road. The walls of these buildings are preserved in height up to 1.5 meters. They are folded without a solution, dry. In the central part of the settlement, the remains of the walls differ in that the stones are hewn and tightly laid.
Alan burial ground Jordan
Most of the dolmens and the Alan burial ground are located behind the Spire. This site of the settlement is named after the hermit monk Jordan (Ordan). There are semi-underground crypts on this site. According to the assumptions of historians, they buried Alans, not belonging to the nobility. In dolmens, which are about a dozen in the Jordan, the nobles were buried. Boulders for them were taken on the other side of the river Krivoy. Near the quarry there is a grotto, as well as a cobbled ancient road leading to another settlement, which existed at the same time, Nizhne-Arkhyz.
I would like to believe that the exploration of the site will continue, as this land still holds many secrets.