The medieval towers of Absheron and the cult of fire

The peninsula of Absheron, on which Baku is located, is inhabited by people from ancient times. This is evidenced by the results of archaeological surveys and artifacts discovered in their course. Since the Middle Ages, according to various sources and descriptions of travelers, there were about 30 settlements here. Some of them have very ancient origins.

One of these is the village of Gala, which now houses an archaeological and ethnographic museum complex. On its territory there are mounds, crypts, houses, 4 structures for water storage, ruins of an ancient castle, 5 mosques, 3 baths and so on. In order to preserve these monuments, as well as to further replenish the reserve fund due to the archaeological finds found on Absheron, the first open-air archaeological and ethnographic museum complex was created here in 2008 with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. With a visit to this complex, we will begin our tour. Gala means fortress or tower. This village once had a 14th century tower, which was destroyed almost to the ground, but a few years ago reconstructed.

In the 12th century, Baku and Absheron became important regions in the state of Shirvan, which they were part of at that time. The Shirvanshahis first moved their residence to Baku and engaged in large-scale construction here. From the 12th to the 14th centuries, many towers surrounded by fortress walls were built in Baku and on the peninsula. There are information about the presence of about thirty such small fortresses on Absheron. Some of them were destroyed by time, people or the course of history is still unknown. But fortunately for us, the four towers are preserved in excellent condition for their age. Three of them I suggest visiting during our tour, two towers in the village of Mardakyan and one in the village of Ramana. It is believed that these structures are defensive in nature, used as signal towers, but these ancient buildings keep their secrets and we can try to unravel them. It is possible that, like many things in Azerbaijan, they are also related to the cult of fire.

We will conclude our journey into the depths of history with a visit to Mount Yanardag. This is one of the most amazing natural attractions of the Absheron Peninsula. It is a mountainside engulfed in flames, which cannot be extinguished by rain or covered with sand, burning for several millennia. The frightening and at the same time fascinating fire landscape is actually explained very simply: natural gas is released from the upper layers of the soil, when in contact with oxygen, turning into an unquenchable flame. However, Mount Yanardag is still a miracle and an object of worship for fire worshippers from around the world.

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• good mood.