9
olunaraq gələcək nəsillər üçün yaşadılması qayğısına qalalar. Həm də ağsuluların
bu sahədəki müsbət təcrübəsindən nümunə kimi istifadə etməyə dəyər.
“Ağsu şəhəri orta əsrlərdə” kitab-albomun növbəti buraxılışlarında
görüşmək arzusu ilə.
Dear reader, our first meeting with you took place with a book album
“Medieval Agsu town” coming into light on the eve of birthday anniversary of our
Great Leader Haydar Aliyev four months ago. The book was the hottest presenta-
tion of investigations carried out by Expedition in III excavation site in Medieval
Agsu Town in March and April. The question there is presenting primary results of
archaeological excavations of mainly intelligence kind implemented in 600 sq/ms.
Research was recently launched in Agsu Town in that period. Success of
preliminary results encouraged both us and people supporting us to expand scale of
the excavations. We were once more convinced that as example of numerous
people coming to take a stroll at excavations, as well as honorable readers
Azerbaijani community is not indifferent at all to our history, monuments, a
keepsake of past and finally, investigations implemented in those monuments. It is
however stimulus for more intensive and more productive working of historians
scientists, archaeologists and ethnographers.
Taking these into account, we achieved translation into English and
publication of a book-album “Medieval Agsu town”. Expedition's web page and its
English version were presented to you. Today II second issue of book-album “Me-
dieval Agsu town” is being introduced to you. The book-album was dedicated to
primary results of large-scale archaeological excavations carried out by the
Expedition in IV excavation site in Agsu Town in May-August.
IV excavation site covers 2200 sq/ms. It is the widest site studied for shorter
time by archaeological expeditions in the area of Azerbaijan till now. In other
words, simultaneously none of archaeological expeditions implemented excavation
in such a wide area in Azerbaijan till nowadays. To confess not any expedition
could join such a heavy load without detailed help. I consider it my obligation to
express my deep gratitude to “MIRAS” Social Organization in Support
of Studying
of Cultural Heritage and philantropists helping the organization in such an
important affair on behalf of expedition leadership and our staff for com-
prehensively supporting large-scale archaeological investigations implemented in
Agsu.
As it was indicated in I issue of book-album “Medieval Agsu town”, III site
explored in March-April months belonged to handicraft estate of the town.
Workshops of smith, brazier, dyer and masters occupied with bone production
including shops were displayed and explored there. Estates belonged to bread and
bread product manufacturers, as well as streets and squares adjoining various
estates of the town were displayed and studied. Definitely, each of these is a
10
finding of extreme importantance from standpoint of deep and detailed research of
medieval urban problem. Participants of conference held jointly with Agsu region
Executive Power on occasion of birthday anniversary of Great Leader Haydar
Aliyev on 7 May stress this thought repeatedly. After acquaintance with
implemented work vice-president of ANAS, academician Naila Velikhanly;
director of Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Doctor of History, Maisa
Rahimova; academician Teymur Bunyadov; associate member of ANAS. Ilyas
Babayev; Doctors of History Asadulla Jafarov; Arif Mammadov and others spoke
with their heart about scale and significance of Agsu investigations.
Our respectable readers! As a chief of Expedition I can say in all sincerity
and responsibility that our investigations in IV excavation site resulted successfully
and immencely. Spaciousness of capacity of excavations carried out there is es-
pecially important from standpoint of study of topography of medieval cities. The
main issues there include fortress walls of town, plan structure of its separate
estates, order of streets and squares, construction and architectural peculiarities of
living houses and public houses, perfect functioning of water supply and sewerage
network, expansion of surrounding circle, fine and high-quality handicraft samples
produced by Agsu masters, rich and colourful collection of Chinese, Iranian and
European products brought by the way of commercial and cultural relations, in one
word, fervent and crowded urban life of Agsu in XVIII century.
Views and notes of expedition members and specialists about all these were
reflected in II issue of book-album “Medieval Agsu town” introduced to you. I am
sure that you will find answer to many questions causing you to think and inter-
ested you here. I am also assured that this issue will be to your heart's content like I
issue of the book-album.
Dear reader! Believe that these are so interesting and necessary pages of our
history that we should not satisfy with writing and reading them, we must study
and immortalize them. These are unfading, non-frayed, actual, as well
as more vital
bright pages of our great and glorious history forever. This is creative, selflessness
and heroism history of our ancestors. This history was not created in one day, for a
year and for a century. This history being created in battles of the time passed trials
of centuries. This history was established in a condition accompanied by intrigues
and conflicts of lots of empires, and a great deal of stern conquerors leading them
substituting each other for centuries. How should not we study this history created
through body and blood of our ancestors? How can not we boast of this history?
Let's think about it together. Let's think what must or could a scientist, a teacher,
intellectuals, official or businessman do in this way? It would be great when
distinguished officials and businessmen born and brought up in this land, enriched
by being fledged by aid, support and finally, blessings more of their natives, close
people and compatriots sometimes return and have a look at home village, hamlet,
region, its history and historical monuments. They also would rather take care of