K A R A B A K H
148
G.S. Ismailov studied seasonal settlements o f cattle breeding tribes
in the alpine meadows o f the Kelbajar district, upstream the Terterchay in
the Early Bronze Age as well as petroglyphs.
In 1980-1988 H.F. Jafarov conducted a detailed archaeological
research in the Karabakh district. He conducted excavations in the
following burial mounds: Yeddi Tepe, Horuzlu, Sarov, Beyismarov,
Borsunlu, Jamilli, Demirchiler, Evoglu, as well as the Tohmagtepe
settlement in the vicinity o f Buruj and Aji Gervend village o f Terter
district. As a result o f the archaeological research, the following Bronze
Age settlements were studied: Uchoglan,
Goshatepe (Guttepe),
Deyirman Yeri (Early Bronze); Tohmagtepe, Chinartepe, Agtepe
(Middle Bronze); Saritepe, Govurtepe, M ishigishlagi, Garatepe (Late
Bronze and Early Iron Age); burials M agsudlu, Goytepe, Gyzyly
K egerli, U choglan, G uzanli, S arichoban (A gdam ), B orsunlu,
Beyismarov, Evoglu, Husenli (Terter district), Husulu, Gaynag, Bayat
(Agjabedi). Material collected during the research provided scientifıc
information about economy, domestic life, religious views o f ancient
tribes o f Karabakh.
An archaeological map o f cultural sites in Karabakh dating from
the Bronze age was developed.
KARABAKH IN STONE AGE:
GURUCHAY CULTURE
j y
arabakh district of Azerbaijan is one o f the m ost ancient cultural
centres in the world. Karabakh has favourable natural and
geographic conditions as well as rich flora and fauna and is one
o f the areas where cavemen settled and evolved. Azykh, Taglar and Zar
were the fırst settlements o f cavemen in Karabakh.
Cavemen settlements in Azykh and Taglar caves in the Guruchay ri-
ver plain, Fizuli district o f Karabakh, were the subject o f research. The Sto-
ne Age culture found here is referred to as Guruchay Culture. Ancient
people lived in this Karabakh plain 2 million years ago. Originally they li-
ved in the open camps in the Guruchay river plain. Later, the climate chan-
ge (lower temperatures) forced them to settle in Azykh and Taglar caves.
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149
Azykh cave.
The Azykh cave is the largest in the South Caucasus. It is 400 m
long with the total area o f 11,200 sq.m. There are high openings (up to
20-25 m), passages and picturesque stalactites in the cave.
Archaeological excavations o f the South entrance and two
adjacent sm aller caves revealed 10 occupation layers dating from
various Stone Age periods. The layers bear the evidence o f the ancient
history, from the Early Stone Age (Paleolite) till the M iddle Ages.
Azykh was the w orld’s fırst cave where such stratigraphic
succession was found.
The cave was fırst occupied during the Guruchay Culture period
(7lh to 10'h layer). The implements o f the Guruchay Culture found in the
layers are sim ilar to the Olduvai culture o f East Africa. Later, during
Acheulian period (5th to 6lh layers, 650,000-450,000 years ago), cavemen
continued to dwell inAzykh.
K A R A B A K H
Qarabagh. A fragment o f a lower
jaw o f azychanthrope
The 3rd layer in Azykh features M ousterian culture. Upper layers
( l st and 2nd) contain the evidence ofEneolith, Bronze and M iddle Ages.
The first stage o f the Guruchay culture refers to Early Paleolite
(pre-Acheulian period), the second - to Early and M iddle Acheulian
period, the third - to late Acheulian and M ousterian period. This culture
emerged 2 million years ago, developed and disappeared 700,000 years
ago.
Handheld chipping tool found in Azykh
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151
Many im plem ents o f the first inhabitants o f Azykh were found:
bills, cubic im plem ents, scrapers and a signifıcant amount o f fragments,
as well as large bill-like chopping im plem ents weighing 4-5 kg.
During the last stage o f Guruchay Culture Azykh, inhabitants
made new im plem ents using m ore up-to-date technologies and materials
such as quartz, quartzite, basalt, flint, feset, jasper and so on.
Hunting and collecting w ere the m ain occupations o f cavemen.
They hunted big and small anim als and cubs w ith prim itive stone
implements.
Use o f fıre
The cavem en o f the Guruchay plain lived in a commune divided in
sm allergroups.
The rem ains o f the fauna in ancient Acheulian layer, such as jaw s
and skull bones prove that dwellers o f Azykh hunted cave bears, giant
stags and other wild animals at the time.
A hum an jaw found in Azykh in 1968 is o f great importance. The
remains o fth e Azykh inhabitant, a woman aged 18-22, is the forth most
ancient fınding in the world. It testifıes that people lived in Karabakh
350,000 yearsago.
One o f the bear skulls sitting on a natural bench in the cave,
features notches which reflect religion, ideology and ancient art o f
K A R A B A K H
152
cavemen. Bonfıres discovered here in Azykhare are the testament to
usage o f fıre by people who dwelled here in the Acheulian period.
Domestic life and traditions o f ancient inhabitants o f Karabakh
evolved during Mousterian period. The Mousterian culture emerged
120,000-100,000 and disappeared 35,000-33,000 years ago. In the
Mousterian period, the inhabitants o f Azykh and Taglar made
implements and weapons o f flint, slate and obsidian, found both inside
and outside the caves.
They hunted horses, cave bears, small horses, Caucasian deer,
bulls, rhinoceroses and so on. M ost o f the bones dated from that period
were charred.
The Azykh cave.
Middle Ashel stone work tools
Artefacts such as microlitic implements were found in Karabakh,
in the vicinity o f Shusha, in Dashalti where Shusha cave is located.
During M esolite, hunting was an important activity; smaller animals
w ere tamed and wild plants were the main source o f food.
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153
Activity o f Neolithic people
Kalbajar. Stone tools ofThe Zar cave.
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