Page 9 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

7
One of the convincing facts concerning Nakh-
chivan’s prominence in the Islamic world is that
the ancient Ashabi-Kahf (Cave Holders) monument
located here and belonging to the Tanrichilig sect
is mentioned in aya (verse) 9-26 of the 18th sura of
the Koran (Quran, Guran), Al-Kahf (The Cave) sura.
These aya speak about the youth who parted from
nonbelievers and took shelter in the cave, their sleep
lasting for more than 300 years, and the events hap-
pening to them after they woke up10. Ashabi-Kahf in-
creased Nakhchivan’s fame even more and became a
famous place of Muslim pilgrimage11.
The war for freedom led by Babak hastened the
weakening of the Arab Caliphate. Independent states
ruled by the dynasties of the Shirvanshah, the Saji,
the Salari, the Ravvadi, the Shaddadi, and the rul-
ers of Sheki appeared in the territory of Azerbai-
jan12. Nakhchivan was a part of two Azerbaijani
states: first the Saji and then the Salari. According
to some sources, from approximately from the 980s
until the mid-eleventh century, an emirate called the
Nakhchivan kingdom was created in the territory
of Nakhchivan and was ruled by the Abu-Dulefis
dynasty. Artefacts from the Aza Bridge (Ordubad
district), Alinje Castle (Julfa district), Alovtepe (Kan-
garli district), and Davali (Sharur district) historical
monuments, as well as from other settlements provide
valuable information about this period of Nakhchivan
history.
Nakhchivan holds an eminent place in the histor-
ical-geographical territory where the epic, “Book of
Dede Korkut,” one of the most grandiose heroic epics
of the Azerbaijani people, spread13.
Several events in this heroic epic are directly linked
to Nakhchivan. The correlation of many of the geo-
graphical names mentioned in the “Book of Dede
Korkut” epic with those in Nakhchivan and western
Azerbaijani lands near Nakhchivan proves that these
areas are the most ancient Oghuz Turk lands. There
are no toponyms that hint at the existence of Armeni-
ans in Nakhchivan in particular or in westernAzerbai-
jan in general found in the “Book of Dede Korkut.”
This fact also proves that Armenians moved to these
lands later. Taking into account the incomparable sig-
nificance of the “Book of Dede Korkut” epic, national
leader Heydar Aliyev issued a decree on the celebra-
tion of the 1300th anniversary of this heroic epic on
April 20, 1997 and the jubilee was commemorated
on an international scale. As a sign of respect to the
Oghuz Turk symbol of wisdom Dede Korkut, Dede
Korkut square was built in Nakhchivan and a monu-
ment was erected in his honour.
As a result of the establishment of the Great Seljuk
Empire by Sultan Toghrul (1038-1063), vast chang-
es were brought about in world history. Azerbaijani
lands, including Nakhchivan, were annexed to the
Great Seljuk Turkish Empire. The ancient Turkish
land of Nakhchivan progressed further in this period. Stone Ram monument. Nakhchivan.
Nakhchivan in the Seljuk Period.
(End of 10th century ‒ First half of 11th century).
Map 2.
Azerbaijani carpets / NAKHCHIVAN GROUP
Source: Azərbaycan
Respublikası Naxçı-
van tarixi atlası.
Bakı, 2010, s. 21