The version about the discovery of ancient Magas in Chechnya attracted the attention of social media users.
Instagram users met the publication about the possible discovery of the capital of historical Alania in Chechnya with skepticism and mockery. Archaeologists believe that the ancient Magas may indeed be located in modern Chechnya.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in February 2020, the expansion of the Vladikavkaz - Mozdok highway threatened the existence of a federal historical monument - the ancient city of Alans, known as the Zilgin settlement. The ancient city is a unique site that changes the understanding of the history of the Alans, archaeologists pointed out at that time.
The capital of Ingushetia - the city of Magas, founded in 1994 - has the same name as the capital of historical Alania. The site for the construction of the capital of Ingushetia was determined based on the assumption of historian Nurdin Kodzoev, who believed that the Alan settlement of Khatoi-Boarz, located in the upper reaches of the Erz-Eli river, is the historical Magas. However, the exact location of the historical Magas has not been established to this day, according to the reference material from the "Caucasian Knot" titled "The Battle for Magas. Ossetians and Ingush fight for the right to be called Alans".
The publication stating that the ancient city of Magas may have been found in Chechnya was posted today on the Instagram* page chp.checchnya. As of 19:50 Moscow time, state news agencies "Grozny-inform" and "Chechnya Today" had not reported such information.
"In Chechnya, the capital of the ancient state of Alania has apparently been discovered! For many years, the city was considered just a page in history textbooks, but new archaeological finds may change everything," the publication states.
The publication is illustrated with a video clip showing several men talking against the backdrop of a wide trench. The men are not speaking Russian, but words like "Alania" and "Magas" can be heard in their speech. The publication is accompanied by the note "AI content. Original audio".
As of 19:50 Moscow time, there were 580 comments under it. Many authors limited themselves to emojis indicating laughter. Many users who commented in Russian also did not take the published information seriously.
"It's funny, of course," noted svettta__1. "Soon they will find pyramids too," joked khas.an8571.
"Now all that's left is to find Asgard and Atlantis, I think they'll find it soon," said khamchiev_ing. "Soon they'll find Atlantis," wrote north.17_17.
"Is it signed that this is Magas?" asked hazbieva. "Great! Ancient Magas is in Chechnya! Ossetians, which Magas do you have? Ingush have a new Magas," wrote bek1519751.
"Check Nazran, is it there?" suggested muhammad_aushev0006. "And have they dug up the Ark?" inquired berserk__o1.
"What else are they finding in Chechnya, now they've invented Magas," wrote erzi9012. "Brothers, don't fall for these things," urged khart_ev.
"There's nothing there. Just a pit," commented the video salvatore_maranzano89. "Keep digging, where Alexander the Great's helmet should be," suggested bearka69.
"What are some Chechens and Ingush arguing about today? About whose ancestors lived on this land thousands of years ago, who is older and who has more rights to a past that none of the disputants will ever be able to know for sure. And for what? To insult each other, belittle origins, offend the honor of entire nations, and cross all boundaries of what is permissible," expressed ah_dadaev.
Archaeologists admit the discovery of ancient Magas in Chechnya
In March 2026, the head of the Caucasian expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Malashev, stated at a press conference that the enormous size and large number of artifacts and burials found in the recently excavated Mayrtup burial ground in Chechnya, as well as other archaeological and historical evidence, suggest that it may be Magas - the ancient lost city of the medieval Alans.
"Our Chechen colleague Azamat Akhmarov pointed out the large size of this monument - its area was about 350 hectares, as well as the unusual set of related finds, including coins. In his opinion, Mayrtup represents not just a settlement, but a fortified city, which corresponds well to where the city of Magas was located according to the Arab chronicles of that time," Malashev stated.
The scientist explained that the monument was studied as part of large-scale rescue archaeological excavations preceding the construction of the main gas pipeline "Novogrozny - Serzhen-Yurt" in Chechnya. Initially, a necropolis of Alan culture was built in this region - around the 6th century AD, after which a "very large settlement" emerged on its territory, which could have been one of the centers of power in medieval Alania.
"Ibn-Rusta in the 10th century and Al-Bakri in the 11th century wrote that Magas is three days' journey from the kingdom of Serir, which was located in the mountainous part of Dagestan, and its central part was on the Khunzakh plateau. These testimonies of Arab authors generally coincide with the location of the settlement we studied, which is why we plan to continue excavations to verify this hypothesis. If confirmed, it will be a significant event, as many researchers have tried to find Magas," TASS quoted the archaeologist as saying.
Malashev noted that previously archaeologists had already discussed the possibility that other medieval monuments in the North Caucasus could be Magas, but in all such cases, these hypotheses caused "many disputes in the scientific community." According to him, Azamat Akhmarov's idea is the least controversial.