Стр. 9 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

9
Azerbaijani people, who reestablished their independence in some parts of their historical lands at the end of
the twentieth century, have an ancient and rich history of statehood. Historical Azerbaijan is an ancient cultural
center where modern civilization began its development. The Azerbaijani lands included the area of the Greater
Caucasus Mountains to the north and the Goyche Lake basin to the west, surrounded by the Alagoz Moun-
tain Range and Eastern Anatolia, the Caspian Sea to the east and the Sultaniye-Zenjan-Hemedan borders to the
south. At present, Azerbaijani people, the second largest Turkic nation after Anatolia Turks, have created rich
and unique cultural and national traditions in the historical lands of Azerbaijan. As time went by, historical and
geographical districts were formed in this territory, including Shirvan, Mughan, Sheki, Karabakh, Nakhchivan,
and Iravan. Due to the Gulustan (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828) treaties signed between Russia and Iran, the his-
torical Azerbaijani lands were divided between two empires. As a result, political and geographical notions like
northern Azerbaijan (Russian or Soviet Azerbaijan) and southern Azerbaijan (Iranian Azerbaijan) were created.
Following the Turkmenchay Treaty, the Russian Empire implemented a policy of Armenianization of the western
territories of northern Azerbaijan. As a result, an Armenian government was established for the first time in the
western lands of northern Azerbaijan, in what used to be the Iravan Khanate of the South Caucasus. As a result of
this process, the geographical and political notion of western Azerbaijan (Iravan district) was created due to the
establishment of the Republic of Armenia.
On March 21, 1828, after northern Azerbaijan was invaded by Tsarist Russia, Azerbaijan’s Iravan and Nakhchi-
van Khanates were eliminated by decree of Tsar Nicholas I and an “Armenian Province” was founded in western
Azerbaijan. However, after several years, in 1840, this province was eliminated and these Azerbaijani lands were
handed over to the newly created Georgia-Imereti government. In 1849, an Iravan government was established.
On May 29, 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic conceded the ancient city of Iravan to Armenia along with
the surrounding 9,500,000 sq. km. Thus, the Armenian (Ararat) Republic was established in the western territo-
ries of Azerbaijan. In November of 1920, Bolshevik Russia founded the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. This
Soviet Republic then declared its independence after the USSR collapsed. Consequently, an Armenian govern-
ment was created in the western part of Azerbaijan’s historical and geographical territory. In order to conduct a
thorough and fair study of the historical development of Azerbaijani lands, the geographical context of Azerbai-
jan must be subjected to research. Therefore, a close study of the territory of the modern Republic of Armenia in
terms of historical western Azerbaijan is a reasonable proposal.
Azerbaijan:
Historical and Geographical Territory
The Territory of the Modern Armenian Republic is
the Land of Western Azerbaijan:
Undeniable Historical Facts
Iravan District in the History of Azerbaijan Statehood
Iravan District since
Ancient Times to 1740s
Historical Azerbaijani lands were part of the Caspian and Mediterranean Sea areas as well as the Persian Gulf
region where the most ancient civilizations took their first steps. Ancient peoples who took part in the forma-
tion of the Azerbaijani nation played an important role in the ancient cultural environment in the region, such as
in the formation of Sumerian and Babylonian culture, socio-military life, and the history of ancient states of the
Near and Middle East. This evidence is clearly revealed in the scientific investigations, especially archeological
excavations, conducted in Azerbaijan and abroad. Azerbaijan’s territory is very rich in archeological monuments,
proving that this land was in fact home to some of the most ancient human settlements in the world. Archeologi-
cal discoveries found in the Azikh, Taglar, Damjili, Dashsalahli, and Gazma caves confirm that Azerbaijan was
included in the areas where primitive men developed. In addition to different monuments, the jawbone of an
ancient human belonging to the Ashol era (350-400 years ago), the “Azikh Man” (Azikhantrop), was found in the
Azerbaijani cave of the same name. Azerbaijani people began creating a well-developed culture beginning in the
Stone Age (Paleolithic). During the Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic period) and New Stone Age (Neolithic), Azer-
baijani people settled into a sedentary life, engaged in agriculture, raised livestock, and created different arts.
Rich material cultural samples, especially grain remains, labor tools related to agriculture, household items,
and different kinds of craftsmanship products have been found during archeological excavations. These artifacts
indicate that Azerbaijani people were one of the original nations to adopt a sedentary life.
In addition, the Azerbaijani nation has one of the most ancient statehood traditions in the world. The statehood
history of the Azerbaijani people is approximately five thousand years old. The first government entities, or eth-
no-political unions, were established at the end of the fourth and the beginning of the third millenniums B.C. The
most ancient governments of Azerbaijan played an important role in the military-political history of the entire
region. During that period, there was a strong mutual relationship between Azerbaijan and the ancient Sume-