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Zoroastrian Heritage

Author: K. E. Eduljee

Contents

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Azerbaijan Historical Sites

Shamkir Achaemenid Era Ruins

Mystery of Perigala

Mazikh Tower

Ilisu Tower

Parthian / Sasanid (Aryan-Zoroastrian) Era Historical Sites


Suggested prior reading:
» Caucasia
» Azerbaijan

Related reading:
» Surakhani, Azerbaijan, Atashgah
» Khinalig, Azerbaijan, Atashgah
» Darband Sasanid Fortress
» Shamkir Achaemenid Era Ruins
» Azerbaijan Historic Sites


Mystery of Perigala

Perigala high on a cliff face
Perigala high on a cliff face. Credit: Kiva at in.yeeni.mobi
A closer look at Perigala's façade
A closer look at Perigala's façade. Credit: in.yeeni.mobi

'Peri-Qala' or 'Perigala' means 'fairy castle'. An entry in Wikipedia says it dates back to the third or fourth century CE around the time when the Parthian and subsequent Sasanid Aryan-Zoroastrians ruled the area.

But this structure is not a castle - not even a building of any sort. It is the façade of a possible portal to an imaginary castle blocking the entrance to a normally inaccessible cave 300 m high on a sheer cliff. To add to the danger of climbing, the surroundings are infested with snakes. What purpose had it served?

We find the structure in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in the far north of Azerbaijan. There we find it overlooking the upper end of Chardaghlar village some seven km east of Zagatala town.


Map of East Caucasus region (Azerbaijan, Armenia and E. Turkey) showing locations of some old Atashgahs & historic sites such as Ani, Khinalig and Surakhani
East Caucasus region map with locations of some old Atashgahs & historic sites. Image credit: Base map - Encarta. Modifications - K. E. Eduljee

There is an internal stairway carved out of the rock that rises some 40 m. The enterance is a crevice in the limestone cliff face that has been widened. Other openings allow light to enter the stairwell. the staircase has well-preserved, wooden beams (possibly oak) built in for support.

The structure has three rooms and four windows. The walls are made of roughly hewn limestone 'bricks' bound together with the very strong mortar that adheres well to the cliff side.


Perigala high on a cliff face
A limestone 'brick' wall at Perigala high. Credit: Kiva at in.yeeni.mobi

What was the purpose of the structure? While we wait for some definitive information, here is an observation that may provide some clues. The only other similar poorly accessible cliffside structures of an Aryan-Zoroastrian background are Median and Achaemenid cliff side tombs.


View from Perigala
View from Perigala. Credit: suvagil at in.yeeni.mobi

Shamkir Achaemenid Era Ruins

Shamkir excavations of Achaemenid era city-palace complex
Shamkir excavations of Achaemenid era city-palace complex. Credit: AzerNews

The ruins of an Achaemenid era town and palace complex have been discovered near Shamkir's Garajamirli village. The ruins include those of an ancient town that thrived during the Achaemenid era between 550 and 330 BCE. In extent, the ruins are comparable with those in the ancient Persian cities of Pasargadae and Persepolis according to the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. The archeological team that excavated the ruins believe the complex was an administrative centre from which the Achaemenids governed the entire Caucasus region. [Shakir is also spelt Shamkhir.]

An excavation revealed a large 20 hectare palace complex dated to around 480 BCE. The buildings had with large columns and long corridors. Head of the Expedition, Ilyas Babayev said a total of 28 column roots have been unearthed at the site so far. "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."

Previously, the archaeological team had discovered ancient ruins near the city of Gabala.
[Source Laman Ismayilova, AzerNews Aug. 17, 2016.]


Shamkir excavations of Achaemenid era city-palace complex
Shamkir excavations of Achaemenid era city-palace complex. Credit: AzerNews
Shamkir excavations of Achaemenid era city-palace complex - column bases
Shamkir excavations of Achaemenid era city-palace complex - column bases. Credit: AzerNews

Mazikh Tower

View from Perigala
Mazikh tower. Credit: ruqi_energy at imgrum.com

The ruins of a Sasanid era 5-6th cent. tower (burc) and a large wall are found near village of Mazikh (as spelt Mazix, Mastex) near Zagatala. We are looking for further information.


Ilisu Tower

Ilisu Gala/Qala tower
Ilisu Gala/Qala tower. Credit: Wikimedia

The ruins a tower can also be seen on a high ridge overlooking the river passing by. This is not a Sasanid era ruin and we include it for interest and a view of the surrounding landscape. In his paper, Zoroastrianism in Northern Shirvan, Farroukh Jorat notes that in Gakh/Qax district (in which Ilisu is located), "there is a mountain named Armaiti (Armatian), on top of which are the remains of a round Fire Temple dating to the 5-6 cent. (CE)."


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Suggested further reading:
» Surakhani, Azerbaijan Chahar Taqi Fire Temple
» Khinalig, Azerbaijan, Atashgah
» Azerbaijan Dakhmas
» Darband Sasanid Fortress
» Shamkir Achaemenid Era Ruins
» Azerbaijan Historic Sites

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