[2] In the Middle Ages the fortress was known as Qırq Yer (Place of Forty) and as Karaites to which sect the greater part of its inhabitants belong, Sela' ha-Yehudim [3][4] (Hebrew for 'Rock of the Jews').

[citation needed] During the early period of the town's history, it was mainly populated by Alans, the most powerful of the late Sarmatian tribes, who spoke an Eastern Iranian language that was the ancestor of Ossetian.

The stout fortress resisted direct storming by the Tatars, who then contrived to weaken the defenders by playing loud music for three days and nights.

At the turn of the 15th century, Tatars settled Karaite craftsmen in front of the eastern line of fortifications and built a second defensive wall to protect their settlement, and thus a new part of the town appeared.

[14] In the 15th century, the first Crimean Khan, Hacı I Giray, realizing the fortress’ advantages, turned the old section of the town into his fortified residence.

Only the Karaites and several Krymchak families remained living there due to anti-Jewish restrictions on stays in other towns of the Crimean Khanate.

The ḥakam Abraham Firkovich, who was very skilful in falsifying epitaphs and manuscripts, pretended to have unearthed at the cemetery of Chufut-Kale tombstones dating from the year 6 of the common era and to have discovered the tomb of Sangari, which is still shown by the Karaites.

[citation needed] It is also mentioned in Jonathan Littel's great book "The kindly Ones" (2006) page 232 and is used to emphasize the regions intricate history.