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Azerbaijan Historical Sites
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Achaemenid (Aryan-Zoroastrian) Era Historical Sites
Shamkir Achaemenid Era Archaeological Find
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Shamkir excavations of Achaemenid era city-palace complex. Credit: AzerNews |
The ruins of an Achaemenid era (550-330 BCE) town, governmental and palace complex have been discovered near Shamkir's Garajamirli village. According to the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, in extent, the ruins are comparable with those in the ancient Persian cities of Pasargadae and Persepolis. [Shamkir is also spelt Shamkhir.]
The archeological team that excavated the ruins believe the complex was an administrative centre from which the Achaemenids governed the entire south Caucasus region. Their excavation revealed a large 20 hectare palace complex dated to around 480 BCE. The buildings had large columns and long corridors. The leader of the Expedition, Ilyas Babayev said a total of 28 column roots have been unearthed at the site so far (August 2016), further stating, "There seem to be more than a hundred column roots here. The palace has an entrance, which is 8 meters in width and 25 meters in length. Right behind the entrance is an audience hall 675 square meters large, surrounded by corridors and large halls. The items discovered here are few in numbers but mostly elite. The most fascinating thing is that cuneiform inscriptions have been found here." Also see
Shamkir Archaeology. [Source Laman Ismayilova, AzerNews Aug. 17, 2016.]
Four other such building have been discovered in the South Caucasus region. For further details, please see Achaemenid Persian Architectural Elements in Caucasia.
Previously, the archaeological team had discovered ancient ruins near the city of
Gabala
(also spelt Qambala/Gebele) in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus not too far from Khinalig and its Atashgah. 1st century CE Latin writer Pliny in his Natural History at 6.29, states the capital of Albania was Cabalaca. Modern Gabala is claimed to have been that capital.
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Shamkir excavations of Achaemenid era city-palace complex. Credit: AzerNews |
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Shamkir excavations of Achaemenid era city-palace complex - column bases. Credit: shamkir-archeo.az |
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