Social network users treat destruction of menhirs in Northern Caucasus as barbarism

The destruction of ancient menhirs (tall stones put in vertical position by people in prehistoric times) ruins the memory of the past, Facebook users were outraged after the message of a local historian from the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) about another toppled menhir.

Victor Kotlyarov, the head of the KBR's branch of the Russian Geographical Society, has informed that a group of three menhirs had been knocked down near the Kislovodsk-Djily-Su road, while all menhirs had been virtually destroyed in the Northern Elbrus area. Believers who treat themselves as fighters against idols may be guilty of destructing them, both Muslims and Christians, scientists told the "Caucasian Knot". According to their version, menhirs in Northern Caucasus have not been sufficiently studied, but they need to be preserved.

Mr Kotlyarov has noted that "today there are practically no undamaged menhirs left." The age of some monuments exceeded 2-2.5 thousand years,

Social media users have called the menhir destroyers "savages" destroying their history.

Larisa Bizhoeva has called to bring the vandals to justice according to the law.

The problem of the destruction of menhirs in Northern Caucasus is aggravated by the fact that the monuments are not fenced off, have no plaques; and people often think that this is an ordinary stone, Vladimir Fomenko, a historian, has noted.