In 1920, the Museum of History of Azerbaijan was established, exhibiting archaeological finds from different parts of Azerbaijan. The Ancient and Medieval History sections of the museum have a total of over 25,000 items. Since 1969, museum archaeologists have been conducting underwater archaeological excavations beneath the Caspian Sea.
Paleolithic era
The Lower Paleolithic, the first stage of the Paleolithic era, covers the period from 3.2 million years ago to 100,000 years ago. The main belongings to prehistoric humans for this period were found in the Azykh cave in the Guruchay valley near Fuzuli region. It is hard to distinguish the instruments found here from river stones. Bashing, cracking, knapping, pecking, grinding or polishing stones of various kinds to manufacture tools were found in this period. As well as the bones of various wild animals were found here. Azikh cave is in the fourth place in the world by its age (but it was the first in the former USSR).[2] The remains of the jawbone of human lived 350-450 thousand years ago, which were found in 1962 by Azerbaijani historian Mammadali Huseynov proved it.[3][4]
The Middle Paleolithic period of Azerbaijan was studied on the basis of Taghlar in Karabakh, Damcıli and Dashsalahli caves in Gazakh region. The Taghlar cave was explored by archaeologist Mammadali Huseynov in 1960.[3][5]
There is a two large cave in the Avey mountain of the Gazakh region. The cave on the south-western side of the mountain is called Dassalahli, and on the south-east side is called Damcılı. In 1957-1958, scientists studied these caves and found labor tools of humans who lived here. Examples found in the Tamtama cave, 20km north of Lake Urmia, show that humans living here had hunting ability.[6]
Archaeological research shows that about 40-35 thousand years ago, the Mustye culture in Azerbaijan was replaced by Upper Paleolithic culture.[7]
Mesolithic period
Nearly 12 thousand years ago, the Upper Palaeolithic period was replaced by the Mesolithic period in the territory of Azerbaijan. Melting of glaciers and warming of the weather in this period resulted in climate change, some changes in humans’ life and economy. The Mesolithic period in Azerbaijan was mainly studied on the basis of Gobustan monuments. Large limestone fragments were found on the slopes of Boyukdash, Kichikdash and Cingirdash mountains, located 60km away from Baku. A number of drawings were detected on these limestone pieces and on the walls of the caves. During the archaeological digs in Boyukdash Mountain, it was determined that the drawings here were covered by the material and cultural remains of the Neolithic and Mesolithic era. Studies show that prehistoric humans living in Gobustan had ideological imaginations about totem and enchantment. The lifestyle and occupation of humans were clearly reflected in these illustrations. During the archaeological investigations, in Firuz camp that had been used as seasonal dwellings in that period 12 buried human skeletons have been found.[7][8][9]
Neolithic period
Archaeological research shows that during the 7th-6th millennium B.C the Mesolithic period was replaced by the Neolithic period. At present, researchers divide the Neolithic period into two stages: The Pottery Neolithic Period and Pre-Pottery Neolithic period. Material and cultural examples of the Neolithic period were found in Damcılı cave, Gobustan monuments (Ovçular mağarası (Hunters' cave), Anazagha, Firuz, Buyukdag mountains ), Nakhchivan Kultepe, Khanlar, Garakopektepe, Yanigtepe, Haji Firuz, Shomutepe, Toyretepe and other monuments. The study of the monuments shows that during this period humans settled in open camps and were living sedentary lifestyle. Some Instruments found in Gobustan such as fork-like, resembling the harvesting sickles show that farming had been developed. Pre-historic human prepared these tools from mainly river stones. One of the most important innovations belonging to the Neolithic era is the formation of pottery and weaving.[10][11]
Chalcolithic period
The Eneolithic period in this region is dated 6th-4th millennium B.C. The basis of smelting and working copper was laid in Azerbaijan during this period.
Guruchay culture
Guruchay culture is an archaeological culture in the territory of Azerbaijan. Prehistoric humans collected stones from Guruchay valley and brought them to the cave for preparing the tools. At the same time, Azokh humans were engaged with hunting in the Guruchay valley. The Guruchay valley had all the conditions for the living of prehistoric humans. Therefore, remains of the new archaeological culture discovered in the 7-10th layers of the Azykh Cave were named as a Guruchay culture.[12] During the complex archaeological digs, several developed stages of the Guruchay culture have been identified. The preparation of tools was simple in the early stages of culture, but it was improved in later stages. Labor tools of Guruchay culture are closely related to labor tools of the Olduvai Gorge of Africa. However, there are differences in the typology of labor tools. During the investigations, the period of Guruchay culture began about 1.2 million years ago and continued until 700,000 years ago in Azerbaijan.
To study of Paleolithic monuments of Azerbaijan began in the 1950s. The Paleolithic camp was discovered in Damcılı cave located in Dashsalahli village of Gazakh region by S. N. Zamyatin and Mammadali Huseynov during archaeological investigations in 1953. In 1968, fossilized fragments of lower jawbone were found in the Acheulian layer, Guruchay culture which had some common features with the Olduvai Gorge was found in 1974.
Labor tools found on the eighth layer of the Azykh cave are similar to tools found in below layers according to their typological features. However, heavy tools such as choppers and chopping tools are characteristic for this layer.
The seventh layer of Cave reflects the complementary stage of the Guruchay culture. This layer is similar to below layers as typological features but completely different with early Acheulean culture. Stone products on this layer consist of choppers and chopping tools, cubic items, industrial wastes, river stones, and others.[13]
It is not impossible to determine bones belonging to which animals found in the X-VII layers of the Azykh cave, because most of the patterns of fauna were damaged. The detected animal bones belonged to deer, antelope, bird, rodent and carnivora animals. Vulpes aff volpes, Crocuta spelaea, Spelearstos spelaeus, Ursus, Cervus Mesopotamia, Equus sussen bornansis, Equus hydruntinus, Dicerorhinus mercki, Bison schotensaci and other animals lived in the Absheron era of Guruchay culture.
Some rough stone tools prepared from gravel in the Azykh Cave were similar with findings in Olduvai (Tanzania), Koobi-Fora (Kenya), Melka Kontura (Ethiopia), Vallona (France), Ubeydiye (Israel) and other monuments.
The main occupation of the prehistoric humans of the Azykh Cave was hunting and gathering.[7][8][9][13][14][15]
As a result of surveys and excavations, that began in Mingachevir in 1935, rich archeological evidence from the end of Eneolithic Period to the Late Middle Ages was revealed and more than 20,000 objects have been found.[18] In 2006 a French–Azerbaijani team discovered nine kurgans at the cemetery of Soyuqbulaq. It was dated to the beginning of the 4th millennium BC, which makes it the oldest kurgan cemetery in Transcaucasia.[19] There is also an evidence that the Duzdağı salt deposits in the Araxes valley were already being exploited from the second half of the 5th millennium BC, which is the most ancient exploitation of rock salt attested as of 2010.[20]
Reproduction of a 2nd-century AD Greek inscription found in 1902 near Böyük DəhnəRoman silver plate (2nd–4th century AD), found in Yenikend
The excavations on a cemetery at Yaloylu Tepe revealed important archaeological evidence from the 3rd to 1st centuries BC. The site gave its name to a culture found in the lower parts, steppes and foothills of the Greater Caucasus. In 1926 D. Sharifov discovered previously unknown pottery forms at Yaloylu Tepe.
Notable findings related to Ancient Rome include the rock inscription in Latin at Boyukdash mountain (carved between 81 and 96 AD), which is the easternmost known Roman evidence.[21] It was discovered in 1948 by Ishag Jafarzadeh and mentions Domitian and Legio XII Fulminata. Another Roman inscription, which also mentions that legion, was reportedly seen in 1934 by the paleobotanist Petrov near the town of Füzuli.[22]
In 1897, a bronze lamp in the shape of theatrical mask (presumably from the eastern provinces of Roman Empire[22] or from the Hellenistic countries of Near East), dated to 1st–2nd century AD, was found in the village of Zerti.
In 1902, researcher Emil Rösler excavated the remains of an ancient bath near the village of Boyuk Dehne that contained a 2nd-century AD Greek inscription carved on a piece of limestone.[22]
In 2005, joint Azerbaijani–Korean researches began on the site of ancient Qabala, where archaeological studies had been suspended since 1990.
Acheulean culture
In the Azykh Cave, the period of the Guruchay culture was replaced by ancient Acheulean after its long-term development. The ancient Acheulean culture was detected during the archaeological excavations in the VI section of the Azykh cave. More than 2,000 stone products and many hunted animal bones were found here.[12][24]
Mousterian culture
The remains of the Mousterian culture during the archeological researches in Azerbaijan were discovered in Azykh (III layer), Taghlar, Dashsalahli, Gazma and Buzeyir camps.[24]
Kura–Araxes culture
The culture of the late Eneolithic and Early Bronze Age (end of 4th millennium BC - 3rd millennium BC). This culture, which firstly appeared in the territory of Azerbaijan, covered the area from the North Caucasus to Mesopotamia, from East Anatolia to Central Asia.[24]
During several excavations in the Inner City of Baku various medieval artifacts have been unearthed, including ceramic items and two tandoors. One of the tandoors was in the 12th-century layer.
Large-scale excavations on the left bank of Shamkirchay, that started in 2007, revealed the remnants of monumental public building, dated to 9th–10th century. Studies of medieval Azerbaijani fortresses like Chirag Gala, Shindan, Gazankeshki, Ballabur and Gilgilchay defence system have been also conducted.[25]
The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with the advent of metalworking. It therefore represents nearly 99.3% of human history. Though some simple metalworking of malleable metals, particularly the use of gold and copper for purposes of ornamentation, was known in the Stone Age, it is the melting and smelting of copper that marks the end of the Stone Age. In Western Asia, this occurred by about 3,000 BC, when bronze became widespread. The term Bronze Age is used to describe the period that followed the Stone Age, as well as to describe cultures that had developed techniques and technologies for working copper alloys into tools, supplanting stone in many uses.
The Japanese Paleolithic period is the period of human inhabitation in Japan predating the development of pottery, generally before 10,000 BC. The starting dates commonly given to this period are from around 40,000 BC; although any date of human presence before 35,000 BC is controversial, with artifacts supporting a pre-35,000 BC human presence on the archipelago being of questionable authenticity. The period extended to the beginning of the Mesolithic Jōmon period, or around 14,000 BC.
Franchthi Cave or Frankhthi Cave is an archaeological site overlooking Kiladha Bay, in the Argolic Gulf, opposite the village of Kiladha in southeastern Argolis, Greece.
The South Asian Stone Age covers the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in the Indian subcontinent. Evidence for the most ancient Homo sapiens in South Asia has been found in the cave sites of Cudappah of India, Batadombalena and Belilena in Sri Lanka. In Mehrgarh, in what is today western Pakistan, the Neolithic began c. 7000 BCE and lasted until 3300 BCE and the first beginnings of the Bronze Age. In South India, the Mesolithic lasted until 3000 BCE, and the Neolithic until 1400 BCE, followed by a Megalithic transitional period mostly skipping the Bronze Age. The Iron Age in India began roughly simultaneously in North and South India, around c. 1200 to 1000 BCE.
Prehistoric Wales in terms of human settlements covers the period from about 230,000 years ago, the date attributed to the earliest human remains found in what is now Wales, to the year AD 48 when the Roman army began a military campaign against one of the Welsh tribes. Traditionally, historians have believed that successive waves of immigrants brought different cultures into the area, largely replacing the previous inhabitants, with the last wave of immigrants being the Celts. However, studies of population genetics now suggest that this may not be true, and that immigration was on a smaller scale.
Prehistoric France is the period in the human occupation of the geographical area covered by present-day France which extended through prehistory and ended in the Iron Age with the Roman conquest, when the territory enters the domain of written history.
The prehistory of Georgia is the period between the first human habitation of the territory of modern-day nation of Georgia and the time when Assyrian and Urartian, and more firmly, the Classical accounts, brought the proto-Georgian tribes into the scope of recorded history.
Prehistoric Armenia refers to the history of the region that would eventually be known as Armenia, covering the period of the earliest known human presence in the Armenian Highlands from the Lower Paleolithic more than 1 million years ago until the Iron Age and the emergence of Urartu in the 9th century BC, the end of which in the 6th century BC marks the beginning of Ancient Armenia.
Azykh Cave, also referred to as Azokh Cave, is a six-cave complex in Azerbaijan, known as a habitation site of prehistoric humans. It is situated near the village of Azykh in the Khojavend District.
The prehistory of Southeastern Europe, defined roughly as the territory of the wider Southeast Europe covers the period from the Upper Paleolithic, beginning with the presence of Homo sapiens in the area some 44,000 years ago, until the appearance of the first written records in Classical Antiquity, in Greece. First Greek language is Linear A and follows Linear B, which is a syllabic script that was used for writing in Mycenaean Greek, the earliest attested form of the Greek language. The script predates the Greek alphabet by several centuries. The oldest Mycenaean writing dates to about 1400 BC. It is descended from the older Linear A, an undeciphered earlier script used for writing the Minoan language, as is the later Cypriot syllabary, which also recorded Greek. Linear B, found mainly in the palace archives at Knossos, Kydonia, Pylos, Thebes and Mycenae, disappeared with the fall of Mycenaean civilization during the Late Bronze Age collapse.
The Caucasus region, on the gateway between Southwest Asia, Europe and Central Asia, plays a pivotal role in the peopling of Eurasia, possibly as early as during the Homo erectus expansion to Eurasia, in the Upper Paleolithic peopling of Europe, and again in the re-peopling Mesolithic Europe following the Last Glacial Maximum, and in the expansion associated with the Neolithic Revolution.
Prehistory, also called pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the first known use of stone tools by hominins c. 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of symbols, marks, and images appears very early among humans, but the earliest known writing systems appeared c. 5,000 years ago. It took thousands of years for writing systems to be widely adopted, with writing spreading to almost all cultures by the 19th century. The end of prehistory therefore came at different times in different places, and the term is less often used in discussing societies where prehistory ended relatively recently.
The prehistory of the Iranian plateau, and the wider region now known as Greater Iran, as part of the prehistory of the Near East is conventionally divided into the Paleolithic, Epipaleolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age periods, spanning the time from the first settlement by archaic humans about a million years ago until the beginning of the historical record during the Neo-Assyrian Empire, in the 8th century BC.
Prehistoric technology is technology that predates recorded history. History is the study of the past using written records. Anything prior to the first written accounts of history is prehistoric, including earlier technologies. About 2.5 million years before writing was developed, technology began with the earliest hominids who used stone tools, which they first used to hunt food, and later to cook.
Damjili – is a half-circular shaped cave site in Azerbaijan, where evidence of prehistoric human presence during the Paleolithic and Mesolithic was discovered.
The Taghlar cave is an archaeological site that was inhabited by prehistoric humans of the Mousterian culture during the Paleolithic. The cave is located in Azerbaijan, in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, in the southern part of Boyuk Taghlar village, on the left banks of the Guruchay River.
Mammadali Murad Oglu Huseynov was an Azerbaijani and Soviet archaeologist. In 1960, Huseynov carried out excavations in the valleys of the Quruchay and Kondalanchay Rivers, in Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijan SSR. There, he discovered a fragment of the lower jaw of Homo erectus or Azykhantrop in multi-layer sites of the Paleolithic epoch in Azykh and Tağlar Cave.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to prehistoric technology.
Trialetian is the name for an Upper Paleolithic-Epipaleolithic stone tool industry from the South Caucasus. It is tentatively dated to the period between 16,000 / 13,000 BP and 8,000 BP.
Stone Age in Azerbaijan is divided into the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods. It was studied in Karabakh, Gazakh, Lerik, Gobustan, and Nakhchivan. Stone materials belonging to the Stone Age were found by Mammadali Huseynov in the Shorsu gorge located near the village of Gyrag Kasaman in Qazakh region. According to his research, people have first settled in the territory of Azerbaijan 2 million years ago. The Stone Age era involved two different human species: Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens.
↑ Mongait, Alexandr (1961). Archaeology in the U.S.S.R. Penguin Books. p.227.
↑ Romano, Licia (2010). Proceedings of the 6th International Congress of the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East: Excavations, surveys and restorations: reports on recent field archaeology in the Near East. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p.359. ISBN978-3447062169.
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