Djabrail Chahkiev

Djabrail Yurievich Chahkiev (21 May 1955 – 8 January 2024) was a Soviet and Russian historian, archaeologist, weapons expert, ethnographer, archivist, candidate of historical sciences, Deputy Head of the State Archive Service of the Republic of Ingushetia.

After graduating from the Faculty of History of the Checheno-Ingush State University, Chahkiev worked in various government agencies like as a referent of the republican society "Knowledge", actively collaborating with local history museums in Grozny and Nazran and combining activities with work at the Chechen-Ingush and Ingush State Universities, as well as in the State Archive Service of the Republic Ingushetia. He gave preference to the study of the medieval history of military affairs and the armament of the population of Chechnya and Ingushetia in the 13th–18th centuries.

Biography
Born 21 May 1955, Chahkiev graduated from the Faculty of History of the Checheno-Ingush State University. He actively collaborated with local history museums in Grozny and Nazran. He gave preference to the study of the medieval history of military affairs and the armament of the population of Chechnya and Ingushetia in the 13th-18th centuries.

In 1979, Chahkiev, like most young archaeologists of the republic, until he moved to the department of archeology and ethnography of the Chechen-Ingush Scientific and Research Institute of History, Language and Literature, did not have the opportunity to work as an archaeologist since there was no free workplace for archaeologists at the university, museum and republican society protection of monuments. Most young archaeological specialists, including those who were already practicing, worked in schools and boarding schools after graduating from university. Chahkiev was somewhat "lucky"—the position of a referent of the republican society "Knowledge" completely unexpectedly became vacant. While working there, he had trade union leave, which he used to explore the highlands of Chechnya and Ingushetia and, as a rule, on the "vacation pay" he received. In August of the same year, he led expeditions in which future doctors of historical sciences participated—K. Z. Makhmudova (Erzunkaeva), N. N. Baranichenko (Velikaya), S. V. Makhortykh, S. B. Burkov and others. The detachment specialized to a greater extent not in archaeological excavations, but in a consistent systematic survey of high-mountain territories with their numerous architectural and archaeological monuments and their subsequent registration with the state and protection.

In 1982 Chahkiev defended his candidate thesis on the topic "Weapons and issues of military art of the late medieval Vainakhs of the 13th-18th centuries" at Moscow State University. It was devoted to the study of the military art of the late medieval Chechens and Ingush.

Chahkiev contributed largely to the formation and development of archival affairs in Ingushetia. Since 1998, he worked as deputy head of the State Archive Service of Ingushetia, and since 2015—deputy director of the State Institution "State Archive of Ingushetia". Founder since the 1990s, he worked at the Ingush State University where he taught archaeology, medieval history and archaeological practice.

Chahkiev died after a short illness on 8 January 2024, at the age of 68.