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Fatali khan and Sheikhali khan from Guba, vicegerents of Aga Muhammad shah
Mustafa khan Develi and Aligulu khan, Russian warlord count Valerian Zubov,
and Naibussaltana Abbas Mirza attacked, sieged this castle, some invaded, while
some returned back. Famous travelers of XVIII century Samuel Gmelin,
Biberstein, Bronevski and others wrote about this castle. Plague was spread twice
in Agsu and many people died as a result of it. Handicraft, trade and culture widely
developed in Agsu during the rule of Shirvan khans.
The area of the city covers about 40-hectare field being in a right-angled
form. It's around was fortified with many mighty defense system being in a deep
ditch and shaft form. The length of its south walls is 632,6; northern walls 629,5;
eastern walls 637,3 and western walls 630 meter.
Within the framework of "Medieval Agsu Town" Archaeology Tourism
Complex project, Agsu Archaeology Expedition of ANAS Institute of Archaeology
and Ethnography and Azerbaijan National History Museum launched investigation
in Medieval Agsu Town. First excavation launched in the part relatively lacking
hills and hollows of the city place studied on the intelligence level only in 8sq/ms
field till now. The excavation covered a 16x40-metre field over 600 sq/ms. The in-
vestigation displayed that one of the stone-floor city streets passes across the
excavation centre. One of the city squares appeared in 5 meter south of the street,
and a large house remnant displayed in west part of the square.
5 big dye pitchers and a water pitcher were found from a dyeing shop or a
store in the square's south. There were red paint traces in the wall and around of the
paint pitchers. Those paint samples were collected and sent to be analyzed in
Marmara University Faculty of Fine Arts Laboratory for Natural Dyes in Turkey. It
is interesting that most part of the half of the taxes gathered from Agsu population
was the taxes taken from dye.
Very interesting glazed and unglazed earthenware and glass plates were
found out from the dyeing shop. One of the glass bottles is an alcohol drink
produced in London. Villages' wealthiest in Shirvan khanate is related to
preference of England made home things in their houses in the letters of Russian
militaries.
Existence of a sewing shop in west part of the dyeing shop is confirmed by
clothes, clews, buttons, scissors, thimble, seal, and metal embroideries found from
there. A metal board prepared very gently by tattooing in a heart form and human
image used to be sewn on the garment as a decorative element. That decorative
thing was accepted as a logo of Agsu Archaeological Expedition.
A large blacksmith workshop functioned in a west part of weaving shop.
Many hearth devices, a part of smith machine-tool made of stone, stone trough,
stone prison, stone and copper and cast mould, copper spoon and basin, iron ingot
and outlays, smith tools and ready iron things there show this workshop is main
blacksmith centers of the city.
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A bone master and a brazier functioned in the blacksmith workshop due to
the work schedule. Bone outlays, half-finished and ready bone products indicate
that a wide bone work exists in the workshop. Dagger and knife groups, decorative
things and buttons were made from the bone.
A brazier minted copper money along with making copper things. A
description of Zulfugar sword was minted on obverse of longish coins, the word
"fulus" on its reverse. "Lahij" and "Muhammad" were sometimes branded on this
or other ingots as the first khan of Shirvan Haji Muhammadali khan was from
Zarnava village next to Lahij district. Generally, over 300 copper and silver ingots
were displayed from this workshop.
Large ovens, baker's shops, hearth devices meeting great demands of Agsu
for bread were found in north of the city's street. Numerous big and small horny
animal bones found there confirm the ovens are used both in bread provision, and
cooking different meals and sweets. It is sometimes observed bread ovens are
connected with each-other. Some of the bread ovens have thick wall. Though some
bread ovens have thin walls, delft-ware plate fractures were arranged around their
walls and made to the wall. A stone-laying podium (dissemination and preparatory
work was done) and 4-tree past attic located around the bread-ovens rarely.
Investigations are implemented in IV excavation site of 64x32 meter (2048 sq/ms)
at present. A part and south part of northern fortress walls are being studied.
Exhibition and presentations, as well as excursions of Agsu Archaeological
Expedition were included into the range of events dedicated to 87-year anniversary
of Nationwide Leader Haydar Aliyev in Agsu Town on May 7. Agsu
Archaeological Expedition and region's schools held open lessons in the ex-
cavation site.
Protection, conservation and demonstration of this handicraft district will
increase the importance of this project. The surface of 600 sq/ms excavation site
which exploration completed due to the project worked up jointly by the expedition
members, architects, and specialists on conservation invited from Italy should be
covered to be protected from rain, snow, sun and wind. This cover should be
durable and endure rain and snow water and wind.
Opportunities of visiting the monument every time must be created and
virtual views are used. The handicraft district must be kept as it was, and found
material cultural samples should be demonstrated there. The activity of craftsmen
must be directed virtually due to the excavation site and 3-size looks are used. It
was novelty for not only Azerbaijan, but also world archaeology, and archae-
ological tourism field and reckoned for the future.
***
The representatives of the region community and school-children got
acquainted with the exhibition consisted of the newest archaeological discoveries
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