User:Ticielli/Qala Archaeological-Ethnographic Museum Complex

Qala Archaeological-Ethnographic Museum Complex

Established	2008
Location	Qala village, Absheron Peninsula, Azebaijan

Qala Archaeological-Ethnographic Museum Complex is a museum complex created under the open sky within the territory of the "Qala" State History-Ethnography Reserve in 2008, at the initiative and under the leadership of Mehriban Aliyeva, the president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

History

Located in the center of the Absheron Peninsula, the village of Qala is situated on a strategically important hill. The ancient part of Qala village was declared a historical-ethnographic reserve in 1988, encompassing 216 historical, archaeological, and architectural monuments. The village is home to 5 mosques, castle ruins, 3 baths, over 170 houses, as well as cemeteries, tombs, and more.

The museum complex includes rock paintings dating back to the 2nd to 3rd millennia BCE, artifacts such as pottery, household items, and decorations, as well as weapons and coins, all representing the period from ancient times to the Middle Ages. The preserved remains of the ancient residential complex are also part of the museum complex. The "Absheron" archaeological expedition of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography conducted excavation works in 2010-2011. During the excavations, various findings from the 3rd to 2nd millennia BCE and the 14th-15th centuries were discovered. The museum complex showcases rock and underground dwellings from the Bronze Age, rock paintings, ancient tools, early wall structures, two underground roads dating back to the 10th-14th and 10th-15th centuries in the direction of the Caspian Sea and the city of Baku, as well as an oven from the 18th century.

The museum also houses a fortress that was used for observation and protection purposes during the 10th-14th centuries. The Qala fortress has a height of 13.8 meters and consists of a tower and a rampart. The rock paintings depict women, men, animals, and various other fragments, reflecting pastoral life, and marriage ceremonies.

About

It includes three interactive museums:

• Archaeological-Ethnographic Museum Complex
• Qala Palace
• Antique Items MuseumArchaeological-Ethnographic Museum Complex includes the following features:

• Maps, plans, and schemes depicting the monuments and historical sites of the Absheron Peninsula, as well as displays illustrating the specific monuments of Absheron.
• Scenes depicting the open field discovered in the eastern part of Absheron, including human sacrifices, sacred rituals, and more, presenting a comprehensive ideological worldview system.
• Rock paintings from the 3rd-2nd millennia BCE, showcasing scenes of hunting, prehistoric figures, and megalithic structures.
• An archaeology gallery featuring a rich collection of archaeological artifacts and discoveries.
• Preserved remnants of residential houses from the medieval period.
• Exemplars of ancient craftsmanship, such as carpet weaving, ironwork, and felt-making.
• A two-story residential house from the 19th century, reflecting the interior and exterior of its time.
• Living examples of traditional industries such as sheep farming, camel breeding, horse riding, and more.

Qala qəsri is a structure built in the oldest inhabited area of the village. During archaeological excavations conducted in 2009, it was discovered that it dates back to the 10th and 12th centuries. The present-day remains include wall remnants and a portion of the structure. In 2011, the fortress was restored by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. During archaeological excavations, several materials belonging to the Middle Ages were discovered, indicating that the area served as a permanent residential site during that period. Unearthed remnants of ovens, pottery (both painted and unpainted), iron tools, animal tethering holes, and discovered living spaces provide evidence of complex settlements around the fortress. It is highly probable that these ovens were built in the 18th century when Nader Shah stationed his garrison here to fulfill the garrison's requirements.

Underground passages found in the fortress are attributed to the 10th to 14th centuries. According to the village elders, one of the roads leads to the seaside, while the other one goes to the city.

One of the fascinating discoveries during the archaeological research is the rock-cut dwelling dating back to the Bronze Age.

A mosque has been built adjacent to one of the walls of the fortress. Inside, an exhibition has been set up, showcasing numismatic materials from the 13th to 14th centuries and ceramics remnants from the Middle Ages in Azerbaijan until the Chalcolithic period, which extends up to the 19th century.

The "Antique Objects Museum" was established in 2011 based on a personal collection gathered by Shahid Həbibullayev, an engineer, restorer, philanthropist, veteran of the Nagorno-Karabakh War, and recipient of the "Flag of Azerbaijan" Order. The collection currently encompasses nearly 3,000 cultural artifacts. The museum displays only around 800 exhibits from this collection. The second floor of the museum showcases various examples of decorative and applied arts, while the third floor exhibits samples produced in different regions of the republic, as well as items manufactured in the United States, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Russia, France, England, Iran, Uzbekistan, Poland, Turkey, and other countries, representing both contemporary and ancient folk craftsmanship.

An Information Center has been established in the museum, and a caravanserai-restaurant has started operating. Tourists and guests can obtain detailed information about the surrounding museums from the Information Center and rent electric buses and bicycles. Guided tours are organized inside the museum complex in various languages, including Azerbaijani, Russian, English, German, and French. Facilities have been created for the movement of physically impaired individuals within the museum complex, and a parking area of 35,000 square meters has been provided along with a garage for electric transportation vehicles. The museum's territory covers an area of 1.5 hectares.

During the Qala festival held in 2010, craftsmen demonstrating traditional weaving, carpet-making, and blacksmithing techniques showcased their handcrafted works. Master classes were organized for children, providing an opportunity for visitors to get a close look at ancient household and ethnographic traditions.