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Azerbaijan Tourism
Culture and Traditions
Culture of Azerbaijan roots in ancient times, as documented by petroglyphs on the rocks of Gobustan, Gamigaya in Nakhchivan, on the mountain Dalidag in Kalbajar; archaic ceramics of neolith and epoch of bronze, bronze ornaments and utensils, products from gold and silver found in numerous barrows, burials and settlements.
The ancient cults (animism, ancestors' cult, etc.) in Azerbaijan were replaced by Zoroastrian religion by the middle of 1 millennium BC. Being one of the most ancient religions on the planet, it contains the concept of duality ruling the world (Good and Evil, Ahuramazda and Ahriman), and so one of the main spiritual duties of Zoroastrian worshipper was the concept of Choice. One of the main holidays became Novruz, which is interpreted as "New Day" and means a new day approaching with the victory of Good over Evil. Novruz lost the meaning of a Zoroastrian holiday while centuries passed by, and today is considered as the holiday of spring in the day of Spring equinox on March 21 in Azerbaijan. It is a cheerful holiday that is being celebrated for several weeks. The people have kept recipes of its ritual dishes and sweets through millennia.
In the Middle Ages a number of cities emerged as main cultural, political, administrative and trading centers. Such cities in the history of Azerbaijan were Shamakhi, Ganja, Baku, Barda, Sheki, Tabriz, Nakchivan, Shabran, Ardabil, Maraga, Gabala, Beylagan etc. Medieval authors called Azerbaijan the country of hundred cities. By the 5th century AD Caucasian Albania had already its own writing alphabet. Albanian educator Musa Kalankatu wrote "The Agwan History" in the 7th century AD including the poem of Albanian poet Davdak "On Death of Grand Duke Javanshir".
In late 7th - early 8th centuries, when the great bulk of the town population adopted Islam, a new culture emerged, and the Albanian writing was replaced with Arabic. Muslim educational institutions, mektebs or madrasa, where Arabic was taught alongside with the Koran, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, philosophy etc., spread over the country. Construction works were extensive in the country during both the Albanian period and afterwards. Many cult buildings (churches, mosques), bridges, castles, fortresses, irrigational constructions appeared during 11-12th centuries, marking the time of renaissance in Azerbaijan.
This epoch brought along poets, thinkers, architects such as a philosopher Bakhmanyar, historian Masud Ibn Namdar, architect Abubakr Ajami, poetess Mahsati Ganjavi and the great poet and philosopher Nizami Ganjavi, poet and thinker Khagani and so on. At this particular time the turk-oghuz epos "Kitab-i-Dede Gorgud" was finally formed; chess, backgammon, chovgan game of polo were the wide-spread entertainments all around. Almost in each town a "zorkhana", a wrestling hall or gym, was available. Thanks to that period, we enjoy such gorgeous architectural objects as fortifications of Baku, Maiden tower, mausoleums of Nakhchivan, kanegah on the river Pirsaat and many other monuments.
The intensive development of culture proceeded further in the 13th -15th centuries despite wars and invasions. Such masterpieces of poetry as "Divan", the assembly of verses by a poet Hasanoglu, "Kissa and Yussuf" by a poet Ali were created in Azerbaijani language. A big observatory was built in Маraga under the initiative and plans of the great Azerbaijani astronomer, scientist and philosopher Nasreddin Tusi who was considered a mentor by many subsequent astronomers of the Muslim period, including Ulugbek. The Observatory was equipped with devices, previously unknown to science, designed by Tusi himself. At that time musicians Safiaddin Urmavi and Abdulgadir Maragahi created the original and unparalleled musical system.
The culture of this epoch is distinguished with such outstanding personalities as Imamaddin Nasimi, Badr Shirvani, Abdurrashid Bakuvi, Seyid Yahya Bakuvi, philosophers and poets. The famous historian Rashidaddin and others lived at that time. Many of the celebrated personalities - poets, mathematicians, philosophers - developed high principles of Sufi philosophy that were frequently concealed by love lyrics. Such Sufi philosophers as Nasimi and Bakuvi enriched the culture of universal values.
During the epoch of Safavids (16th century) the art of miniature and calligraphy got a new impetus. One of the most known schools of miniature in the East, the Tabriz school, and its brightest representative Sultan Mohammed (16 century) flourished at the time. Mohammed Fizuli's (1494-1556) poem "Leili and Majnun" became the poetic pinnacle. Spoken folk poetry also developed. The epos "Koroglu" was very popular in the region and the person of that legendary folk hero was so popular that now there are several presumed places of his legendary fortress Chanlibel.
During the Middle Ages applied art crafts - glazed ceramics, metal wares, colored glassworks, art of carpet weaving embroidery and tapestry - rapidly developed in Azerbaijan. Those goods were widely exported, and remarkable samples nowadays are kept in the leading museums of the world (the Hermitage, the Louvre, Topgapy, Victoria and Albert Museum, Metropolitan Museum etc.).
The reputation of local craftsmen allowed them to be often invited for work in other countries, and during wars they were taken away forcibly. For example, Azerbaijani builders, copper-smiths, calligraphers and architects participated in construction of many architectural masterpieces of Samargand, Shakhrisabz, Iraq and India.
After Azerbaijan had become a part of Russian Empire, the stage of stronger European cultural influence began. It was reflected in fine arts, architecture, literature, education etc. In the 19th century the first scientific research of the history of Azerbaijan since the medieval ages, "Gulistan-i-Iram" by Bakikhanov, appeared. At the same time Mirza Fatali Akhundov (1812-1878), the founder of the Azerbaijan's drama and modern Azerbaijan literature, became known for his realistic novels and dramas. In 1874, the first newspaper in Azerbaijani language, "Ekinchi", was issued. The publisher of the newspaper was well-known educator Hasan bey Zardabi.
The ancient cults (animism, ancestors' cult, etc.) in Azerbaijan were replaced by Zoroastrian religion by the middle of 1 millennium BC. Being one of the most ancient religions on the planet, it contains the concept of duality ruling the world (Good and Evil, Ahuramazda and Ahriman), and so one of the main spiritual duties of Zoroastrian worshipper was the concept of Choice. One of the main holidays became Novruz, which is interpreted as "New Day" and means a new day approaching with the victory of Good over Evil. Novruz lost the meaning of a Zoroastrian holiday while centuries passed by, and today is considered as the holiday of spring in the day of Spring equinox on March 21 in Azerbaijan. It is a cheerful holiday that is being celebrated for several weeks. The people have kept recipes of its ritual dishes and sweets through millennia.
In the Middle Ages a number of cities emerged as main cultural, political, administrative and trading centers. Such cities in the history of Azerbaijan were Shamakhi, Ganja, Baku, Barda, Sheki, Tabriz, Nakchivan, Shabran, Ardabil, Maraga, Gabala, Beylagan etc. Medieval authors called Azerbaijan the country of hundred cities. By the 5th century AD Caucasian Albania had already its own writing alphabet. Albanian educator Musa Kalankatu wrote "The Agwan History" in the 7th century AD including the poem of Albanian poet Davdak "On Death of Grand Duke Javanshir".
In late 7th - early 8th centuries, when the great bulk of the town population adopted Islam, a new culture emerged, and the Albanian writing was replaced with Arabic. Muslim educational institutions, mektebs or madrasa, where Arabic was taught alongside with the Koran, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, philosophy etc., spread over the country. Construction works were extensive in the country during both the Albanian period and afterwards. Many cult buildings (churches, mosques), bridges, castles, fortresses, irrigational constructions appeared during 11-12th centuries, marking the time of renaissance in Azerbaijan.
This epoch brought along poets, thinkers, architects such as a philosopher Bakhmanyar, historian Masud Ibn Namdar, architect Abubakr Ajami, poetess Mahsati Ganjavi and the great poet and philosopher Nizami Ganjavi, poet and thinker Khagani and so on. At this particular time the turk-oghuz epos "Kitab-i-Dede Gorgud" was finally formed; chess, backgammon, chovgan game of polo were the wide-spread entertainments all around. Almost in each town a "zorkhana", a wrestling hall or gym, was available. Thanks to that period, we enjoy such gorgeous architectural objects as fortifications of Baku, Maiden tower, mausoleums of Nakhchivan, kanegah on the river Pirsaat and many other monuments.
The intensive development of culture proceeded further in the 13th -15th centuries despite wars and invasions. Such masterpieces of poetry as "Divan", the assembly of verses by a poet Hasanoglu, "Kissa and Yussuf" by a poet Ali were created in Azerbaijani language. A big observatory was built in Маraga under the initiative and plans of the great Azerbaijani astronomer, scientist and philosopher Nasreddin Tusi who was considered a mentor by many subsequent astronomers of the Muslim period, including Ulugbek. The Observatory was equipped with devices, previously unknown to science, designed by Tusi himself. At that time musicians Safiaddin Urmavi and Abdulgadir Maragahi created the original and unparalleled musical system.
The culture of this epoch is distinguished with such outstanding personalities as Imamaddin Nasimi, Badr Shirvani, Abdurrashid Bakuvi, Seyid Yahya Bakuvi, philosophers and poets. The famous historian Rashidaddin and others lived at that time. Many of the celebrated personalities - poets, mathematicians, philosophers - developed high principles of Sufi philosophy that were frequently concealed by love lyrics. Such Sufi philosophers as Nasimi and Bakuvi enriched the culture of universal values.
During the epoch of Safavids (16th century) the art of miniature and calligraphy got a new impetus. One of the most known schools of miniature in the East, the Tabriz school, and its brightest representative Sultan Mohammed (16 century) flourished at the time. Mohammed Fizuli's (1494-1556) poem "Leili and Majnun" became the poetic pinnacle. Spoken folk poetry also developed. The epos "Koroglu" was very popular in the region and the person of that legendary folk hero was so popular that now there are several presumed places of his legendary fortress Chanlibel.
During the Middle Ages applied art crafts - glazed ceramics, metal wares, colored glassworks, art of carpet weaving embroidery and tapestry - rapidly developed in Azerbaijan. Those goods were widely exported, and remarkable samples nowadays are kept in the leading museums of the world (the Hermitage, the Louvre, Topgapy, Victoria and Albert Museum, Metropolitan Museum etc.).
The reputation of local craftsmen allowed them to be often invited for work in other countries, and during wars they were taken away forcibly. For example, Azerbaijani builders, copper-smiths, calligraphers and architects participated in construction of many architectural masterpieces of Samargand, Shakhrisabz, Iraq and India.
After Azerbaijan had become a part of Russian Empire, the stage of stronger European cultural influence began. It was reflected in fine arts, architecture, literature, education etc. In the 19th century the first scientific research of the history of Azerbaijan since the medieval ages, "Gulistan-i-Iram" by Bakikhanov, appeared. At the same time Mirza Fatali Akhundov (1812-1878), the founder of the Azerbaijan's drama and modern Azerbaijan literature, became known for his realistic novels and dramas. In 1874, the first newspaper in Azerbaijani language, "Ekinchi", was issued. The publisher of the newspaper was well-known educator Hasan bey Zardabi.
