The remains of a 2,200-year-old ancient city have been uncovered during archaeological excavations in Yardimli, APA's southern bureau reports.
A joint Azerbaijani-US expedition discovered an ancient settlement dating back 2,200 years in Urakaran village of Yardimli.
It is considered the first large urban-type settlement from the Atropatene period to be studied in Azerbaijan's southeastern mountainous region. Traces of ancient production and economic activity have been uncovered at the site. The research is being conducted on the left bank of the Vilash River in a strategically important mountainous area. The site, known as "Seyidin yeri," is regarded as a large-scale settlement from ancient times.
Jeyhun Eminli, a leading researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) and head of the expedition studying ancient monuments in Azerbaijan's southeastern mountainous regions, said this is the historical territory of the Atropatene state, which holds particular importance in the history of Azerbaijani statehood.
“It is extremely important to identify settlements from that period precisely in this area. During the research, we discovered the remains of large structures here, which date back approximately 2,200 years. The research revealed that large buildings were constructed here within the same chronological framework, although several centuries apart. Rooms were also discovered during the excavations. Certain sections served as defensive fortifications. The research indicates that a fire occurred here during that period, causing the ceilings to burn and collapse,” he said.
According to him, archaeological finds confirm that local glass production existed in the area from the early first century AD.
It was reported that scientists from ANAS and the University of California, Los Angeles are also studying urbanization processes in the mountainous regions of Atropatene. Detailed analysis of the collected organic samples will be carried out under laboratory conditions at Hamilton College in the United States.
According to Lara Fabian, Professor of Archaeology at the University of California, Los Angeles, the site contains even older ancient materials.
“After leaving here this year, my archaeological colleagues and I will continue writing scientific articles about these discoveries. Our goal is to promote these materials and draw greater attention to Azerbaijan's rich archaeological heritage. I hope we will be able to continue our research in this area in the future, because this is a very important archaeological monument, and its study as well as its preservation are of great significance,” she said.
According to the information, the complex is planned to be transformed into an open-air museum and included in a tourism route.
It was also noted that a considerable number of organic samples have been collected during the research. To determine the full structure of this extensive complex, larger-scale excavations using modern technologies are planned in the coming years.
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