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Thus, complex study of written sources, natural-geographical factors,
numerous material-cultural monuments, ancient toponyms and, at last, ethnical-
national realities of the territory enables to tell about locating of ancient Ghirdman
province not in west, or northwest of Albania, but namely on Shirvan territory. The
province having particularly big importance for military-economic and cultural-
political life of Albania, first mainly covered territories located in the Ghirdman
river basin, to be concrete, up to the Aghsuchay river in east, the Goychay river - in
west, the Babadagh mountain range - in north, and Qaramaryam division - in south.
In VII-VIII centuries when Ghirdman feudals controlled political power in
Albania, boundaries of the province extended even more at expense of neighbour
provinces, mainly Qabala and Arash. The province, in the middle of which situated
Haftaran valley and Qaramaryam division, bordered upon the Kur river in south,
Chola - in north and northeast, Shaki - in west, and Paytakaran territories - in
south-east.
The work's chapter HI deals with natural-geographical conditions and
settling dynamics of the population of Ghirdman province territories. It shows
that peculiarity of the territories, first of all, is in connecting lowland, highland and
foothill areas. Their adjacence plays important role for settling ancient people. I.e.
for acquiring skills on creating favourable microenvironment, people had been
leading life mode to meet natural-primary realities for long historical period. In
reality, namely in this we should look for roots of nomadic life going on by
centuries.
Due to specialists, being rather complicated social phenomenon, settling of
the population and territory is also linked to natural, historical, economic and social
factors which are closely interrelated. Nevertheless, favourable natural-
geographical conditions in all periods played decisive role in people's choosing for
themselves a dwelling place and settling there.
Ghirdman territories covered south slope of the Major Caucasus in north,
Haftaran valley and east part of Ajynohur foothills - in the central part,
Qaramaryam division and great part of Shirvan plain - in south. The south slope,
extending up to Main watershed, chiefly consists of dense forests, Alp and subalp
meadows. Among tops on the Main watershed there locate Kharakoba, Gumilev,
Dindidagh, Rokaldagh, Kam, Salavat, Malkamud passes Haftaran valley was
regarded especially favourable territory for developing husbandry, gardening,
vegetable-growing and animal-breeding. There exists broad and compact river
network. The underground water resources are also very rich. In Ajynohur foothills
and Qaramaryam division there arc widespread dry-farming husbandry and cattle-
breeding.
In result of archaeological researches it was identified that territories
between Haftaran plateu and Qaramaryam division were historically settled earlier
than both lowland, and highland territories. From viewpoint of its populated areas'
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density and life intensivity the territory differs from other ones. And plain Shirvan
territories have been used mainly as winter pastures for millenia. Irrigation
husbandry was widespread just on water-storage territories.
The territory's soil cloak, flora and fauna are also diverse. And this, surely,
depends on height of different places above sea level. Let's remind that on Shirvan
plain and territories along the Kur river absolute height is 0 meter, whilst on Main
watershed the showing is 3632 meters.
The specialists characterize soils of Ghirdman territories in below sequence:
1) Soils of Alp and subalp meadows zone; they include territories over
2000-2200 meters. 2) Soils of mountain-forest zone; they include territories from
500-700 up to 2000-2200 meters. 3) Soils of humid and semi-humid subtropical
zones; the group includes soils of territories from 100-150m till 600-700m. 4) Soils
of dry subtropical steppe and semi-desert zones. Depending on the soil cloak, fauna
and flora of the territory also vary.
The territory's natural-geographical characteristics enables to tell that by its
many features Ghirdman province highly differs from other physico-geographical,
economic and administrative-territorial units of Azerbaijan. And this, surely,
couldn't help to impact settling dynamics of the population at the territory. Thus,
warm climate, aridity and tendency of the soils to salinizaion in south of the
territory, severe mountain relief, abundancy of the precipitation, respectively long
winter in north resulted in the population's intensive migrating from lowland to
mountain pastures, from the latters to lowland in accordance with natural
conditions, and then their settling down in the middle zone especially favourable
for settled life, i.e. on Hajyhatamli, Ivanovka, Qushencha, Nuydi and Sangalan
plateus.
In ancient period and the Early Middle Ages on the territory which had been
settled beginning from V millenium B.C. there was particularly intensive life.
Density of ancient populated places and necropolises discovered there gives clear
idea about the fact. Since the Early A.D. on Ghirdman territories in settling natural
habitat of the population there take place dramatic changes and appear innovations.
Thus, beginning from III-V centuries on foothill territories from Haftaran valley to
north there are built new populated areas. And this surely is linked to some very
important factors.
The research work's chapter IV considers material-cultural monuments
of Ghirdman. The author groups Ghirdman monuments as below: 1) Dwelling
places. 2) Fortresses and fortifications. 3) Temples and grave monuments. The
subchapter I deals with archaeological study situation of Ghirdman monuments.
It's told that as far back as in the late XIX century during excavations on present
Ismayilly district territory there had been discovered valuable material-cultural
patterns dating from the Early Middle Ages. Since 20s of XX century D.B.Sharifli,
A.I.Alakbarov, T.S.Passek and V.Latynin had been holding primary archaeological