Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

Famous for its rich history, Sheki attracts the attention of the whole world with its historical beauties. The main temple of the ancient Albanians was located there.

Archaeologists have recently discovered unique burial traditions of the ancient Albania in Sheki, the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography reported.

For seventy days, Azerbaijani-Kazakh international archaeological expedition conducted archaeological and anthropological research on the territory of the Kish Reserve at the request of the State Tourism Agency.

As a result of research at the Kish-Doh cemetery, burials of warriors were discovered. The burials reflect the unique burial customs of the ancient period. Some of them had a small hilly shape with a stone structure.

Moreover, a collective burial was found in a large vessel. There is no other burial like this in the Caucasus and the Middle East.

This type of burial is compatible with the Sarmatian burials of the Albanian-Sarmatian period of the North Caucasus.

Human skulls, bones were found inside and around the vessel. Spearheads and Sarmatian daggers were found in and around the vessel. In addition, amulets made of wolf teeth and antlers, a bronze necklace, various buttons made of bone and bronze, as well as a number of cultural artifacts were found at the burial site.

One more collective burial was found in the second grave. Ancient ceramic vessels, crescent-shaped bronze pendant and embroidery decorations, bronze and glass beads, buttons and chains; iron and bronze bracelets, iron spearheads and knives as well as Roman-style eye beads were found at the site.

The tomb consisted of 3 different tiers. Human bones were found on the upper tier of the tomb.

Nearly eighteen18 human skulls and various human bones were also found on the lower tier.

Based on the samples of ceramics, the studied tombs can be dated to the 1st-3rd centuries AD.

The two burial customs described open a new page in the study of the archaeological history of Albania.

The results of archaeological research, designs of tombs, burial customs, etc. will be analyzed with parallel comparison with the monuments of neighboring regions.

Photos of the resulting complex of materials will be documented in AutoCAD by rendering accurate graphics.

An orthomosaic of the necropolis was prepared based on the drone survey. Samples will be sent to international laboratories for analysis and the results will be published in international journals. Archaeological research will continue in 2021

It should be noted that remains of an ancient settlement were also found in Sheki in September. The historical monument was discovered during archaeological excavations carried out by the Azerbaijani-Kazakh international archaeological expedition at the Tepebashi monument.

As a result, an archeological team found artifacts confirming the traces of the ancient settlement. For the first time during the Fazil village excavations, archeologist came across ancient farm buildings.

Moreover, a 2,000-year-old potter's oven and the old cemetery were also discovered during the cleanup.

The graves contained numerous material and cultural artifacts of the ancient period - ceramics, bronze objects, iron weapons, ceramic beads, as well as the remains of people and animals.

The excavation was documented by drone aerial photography, and the recovered material was recovered on site and included in the inventory.

Kazakhstani archaeologists were unable to take part in the archaeological excavations in Sheki this year. Nevertheless, Azerbaijani and Kazakh archaeologists will work together on a scientific analysis of this kind of excavation. Archaeological excavations in the village of Fazil will continue next year.

A catalog and explanation of the findings will be issued in international publications.

For the first time during the archaeological excavations in 2020 of the Tepebashi monument, which has been studied since 1984 and was still known as a necropolis, farm buildings were discovered.

Rightly called the architectural reserve of the country, Sheki is home to multiple historical sites, including caravanserais, ancient mosques and much more.

It was one of the biggest cities of the Albanian states in the 1st century. The main temple of the ancient Albanians was located there.

Gelersen-Gorersen fortress, Sheki Juma, Omar Efendi mosques, Narin Gala, Palace of Sheki Khans are among some of the city's most popular historical sites.

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