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monuments, as well as in Mingachevir supposedly were used for processing and
storing meat and dairy products, wool and leather goods. Discovery of analogical
items on other Albanian territories, in contemporary and non-contemporary
monuments betokens rather wide spreading of relevant economic fields and their
possessing rich historical tradition.
The subchapter III considers hunting farming of Ghirdman. As it's
known, on territories where were favourable natural conditions in all times hunting
ranked with main dealings of people.
In these terms Ghirdman territories can be considered extremely favourable
ones for hunting farming not only in the Early Middle Ages, but also in modern
times. As it's known, vast areas of the Major Caucasus south slope, Alazan-
Haftaran hollow and Ajynohur foothills, covered by forest belt, rank with
territories of wild animals and birds' reproduction. And the Kur river, numerous
mountain rivers and springs joining and not joining it in all periods were rich for
various fishes. Of course, people being in daily contact with lively nature riches
couldn't neglect all this. So, namely on this background hunting farming shaped
and
developed.
Many
material-cultural
remnants
discovered
through
archaeological excavations in Nuydi, Uzunboylar and Mollaisagly betoken wide
spreading of the farming on this territory as far back as in ancient period. For ex.,
in many cases when humans were buried, together with their corpses different
animals and birds were buried in graves. 7,5% of ostheological remnants
discovered in populated areas II and III of Mingachevir and chronologically dating
back to III-VIII centuries is made up by bones of wild animals (deer, wild pig, fox
etc.). Among the remnants there were particularly often met boar heads and fangs.
Among grave facilities there were also met objects having picture of boar.
Abundancy of boar bones among osthcological materials, discovered during
researches in Qabala, Mingachevir, Qyrlartapa and Qalagah, betokens that in the
Early Middle Ages hunting continued ranking high in economic life of the local
population.
Let's remind that the researchers connect abundancy of the objects, having
picture of boar, and respective osthcological remnants in the grave monuments,
more with Zoroastrianism, because according to the latter, boar image was
regarded holy. It's also known that the image ranked high among titles of animal
image conferred by Sasanid shahs upon military chiefs guarding frontiers of the
Empire. By the side, we should point out that in the Old Pahlavi language «Varaz
word before name of some Mehranid rulers (for ex., Varaz Grigor, Varaz Perozh,
Varaz Trdat etc.) means «boar.
In our view, despite remaining beliefs about boar in consciousness of some
early-medieval people, through IV-VIII centuries hunting at boars was more aimed
on obtaining food products from their meat. Let's remind that in this period hunting
at deers was widespread, too. Deer bones and horns discovered in upper cultural
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layer of Qyrlartapa once more confirm this. It's interesting that most of them are in
processed condition. And this betokens that on Ghirdman territory deer meat was
used as food product, and its horn - as raw material in boneprocessing art. Among
wild animals hunted in the Early Middle Ages was also gazelle. For the first time
this was identified on the basis of ostheological remnants discovered in upper
cultural layer of Qyrlartapa. Among the archaeological materials there are also
many discoveries confirming Ghirdman population's dealing with hunting at fishes
and birds.
Due to subchapter IV of chapter V, for centuries Azerbaijani nation has
been presenting numerous artistic pearls to the treasure of human culture. In
reality, primary handicraft works were contemporary with ancient humans. I.e.
when struggling for life nearly 450-500 thousand years ago, Azykh man, surely,
had to use different instruments and weapons. Even though they were primitive,
anyway their making had already betokened existence of art. The first instruments
and weapons from wood and stone appeared so. Afterwards such arts, like
boneprocessing, leathermaking, pottery, metalworking, glass production, shaped
and developed. And surely, each of the arts had self-peculiar place and role in
general progress of the society.
Metalworking Art. During archaeological researches in early-medieval
monuments of Ghirdman province there had been discovered various rich metal
goods. When building and ground works were conducted on the territory, there
were discovered many metal items and weapons.
During the researches there had been also discovered metal-melting
furnaces. The furnace, many production wastes, cultural layer and ash remnants
from Qyrlartapa, which had been burning and petrifying for a long time, enable to
think that the territory was metal-production centre.
According to the researchers, despite presence of rich copper deposits in
Azerbaijan and their use from distant times, in the Early Middle Ages copper-
melting art failed to become mass production realm. They more connect their such
thesis with pottery art development in respective period, and partly with increase of
wood, leather and weaving materials. Surely, it's difficult to agree with the opinion.
Firstly, because on Albania territory and particularly in Ghirdman monuments
there were discovered enough many copper plates dating back to the Early Middle
Ages. Secondly, less quantity of discovered copper items as compared to iron or
ceramical works nowise can be explained as restrictedness of such goods'
production. Because when the copper items obsoleted, became unsuitable for
applying, they were given for recycling. And this means that the copper items,
having been recycled, reached XIX-XX centuries. Finally, since the items were
thin, possibility of their remaining in open air or ground was little. I.e. since copper
items that weren't recycled remained in open air or ground, they shortly were
oxidized and fell into disuse.