Myat-Loam (, , Stolovaya gora) is a mountain in the North Caucasus of Russia, in the Dzheyrakhsky District of the Republic of Ingushetia, bordering the Prigorodny District of North Ossetia–Alania. The mountain has a broad, relatively flat summit and an elevation of about .
The mountain is a prominent landmark of the central North Caucasus and is visible from the surrounding lowlands, including Magas, the capital of Ingushetia, and Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia–Alania.
Geography Myat-Loam forms part of the Skalisty Range of the Greater Caucasus. The mountain's characteristic flat-topped profile is the origin of its Russian name Stolovaya, meaning "table-shaped". Sources give slightly different elevations for the summit. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations gives , while map-based sources give approximately .
The mountain is situated near the village of Beyni in the Dzheyrakhsky District. A hiking route to the summit passes through the historic sanctuary of Myat-Seli.
Nomenclature The Ingush name of the mountain is Myat-Loam, meaning "Table Mountain". The name is recorded in scholarly literature on the traditional Ingush calendar, which notes that the mountain was used as a high observation point for observing sunrise and sunset.
Cultural significance The mountain has cultural significance in Ingushetia and is represented on the coat of arms of the Republic of Ingushetia.
Myat-Loam was regarded as a sacred mountain by the Ingush in ancient times, and served as a setting for communal ritual observances associated with the historic Myat-Seli sanctuary on its slopes. According to traditional accounts, communal prayers for rain were performed during periods of drought at rural and patrimonial sanctuaries. The ritual associated with Myat-Seli took place at the sanctuary on the plateau of Myat-Loam and was traditionally conducted on Wednesdays. Participants from neighboring villages formed a procession led by a priest and ascended the mountain to the sanctuary. A sacrificial bull accompanied the procession, its horns reportedly wrapped in white material. Upon reaching the sanctuary, the animal was positioned facing east, after which the chief priest recited a prayer invoking rain and a plentiful harvest.
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References
External links Table Mountain route — Kavkaz.travel Table Mountain (Caucasus) — Wikimedia Commons