Shortepe fortified settlement and еarly Barda town in Garabagh

Huseyn Mammadzadeh

doi:10.15421/1720104

Abstract

Shortepe situated near Shatirli village of Barda in Garabagh region of Azerbaijan Republic. Archaeological excavations gave us an opportunity to research antique and early medieval period of the city. Shortepe is one of the biggest antique and early medieval settlements of Azerbaijan. The settlement situated near Shatirli village in Barda region. There situated Bronze Age settlement Balatepe which were one of the important centers of Kura-Araxes (proto-albanians) tribes, Bronze Age kurgans and Shortepe archaeological complex in Shatirli village. As a result of the research, four cultural strata were discovered. The first layer belongs to the Kur-Araz culture. In this layer, hearth-shaped and horseshoe-shaped hearths were found. In the second layer, painted and simple vessels typical of the Middle Bronze Age were found, and in the third layer, stone box-type tombs and long-necked clay vessels were found. The fourth layer is located at a depth of 0.3-0.9 m. Earthen graves belonging to children and the elderly were found in this layer. There are considerable information about Barda city and a region where it is situated in the works of authors of Antic and Early Middle Ages. Archeologists C.Morqan, N.Silosani, İ.Babayev, R.Goyushov, A.Nuriyev, H.Jafarov, F.Osmanov, A.Mammadov, M.Huseynov had been researched in Barda. According to professor A.M.Mammadov, Shortepe monument is remains of ancient Barda that called “Harum” in the works of Nizami Ganjavi. The article was dedicated to antique and early medieval fortified settlement Shortepe, which researchers prove that the settlement was an ancient Barda town. We can localize it with Anariaka antique Caucasian Albanian settlement. Archaeological excavations were continued in 2006-2016 years regularly. Archaeological excavations had been led in Shortepe in 2014. Scientific researches had been continued in the size of 10x10 m and the area had been divided 4 square. In the result of the archaeological excavations has been got the material examples which dedicated to the antique and early medieval period. In 2015 year archaeological excavations continued. Fortified part of settlement and pit graves was unearthed during digs. Scientific investigations show that Shortepe was ancient city of Garabagh region of Azerbaijan.

Highlights

Shortepe situated near Shatirli village of Barda in Garabagh region of Azerbaijan Republic
During excavations unearthed the remains of the fortress walls and citadel which concerning to VII–VI centuries B.C. (Figure 5), clay seal on a coin writing cuneiform on it that cut in Anatolia marks the X century B.C., a woman statue called "Goddess Nushaba" related IV century B.C. and ruler of Caucasian Albanian – Girdman prince Javanshir's statue and others (Mammadov, 2014; Mammadov, Aliyev, 2013; Mammadov et al 2015; Mammadov et al, 2016)
Barda was a centre of Albanian Cathalicos since 552 to 797 AD (During Caucasian Albanian reign: Catholicos Abas (552–596), Catholicos Viro (596–628), Catholicos Zakhariyya II (628–645), Catholicos Iohann II (646–671), Catholicos Ukhtanes (672–683), Catholicos Nerses (690–704); During Caliphate reign: Catholicos Simeon I (705–706), Catholicos Michael (707–742), Catholicos Anastas (742–746), Catholicos Joseph (747–762), Catholicos Davud II (763–767), Catholicos Davud III (768–777), Catholicos Matheos (778–780), Catholicos Moisey II (780), Catholicos Haaroon (781–782), Catholicos Solomon I (782), Catholicos Teodoroth (782–786), Catholicos Solomon II (786797) – in 797 Catholicosat centre moved to Bardakur city) (Kalankatuklu, 2006)