The “Stone Age Archeology” department was organized by the decision of the Presidium of ANAS on March 24, in year 1971. Mammadali Huseynov was the head of the department in years 1971-1994. In 1994, until today, the department is headed by Professor Asadulla Jafarov, doctor of historical sciences.
The department conducts scientific research on the following 2 problems:
Archaeological research of stone age monuments in the territory of Azerbaijan. During the archaeological research conducted in the world-famous Azikh and Taglar paleolithic camps, more than 1 million faunal remains and stone products belonging to the Guruchay, ancient Acheulean, middle Acheulean, late Acheulean, upper Paleolithic, archaeological cultures were found. Azikh paleolithic camp is the only paleolithic camp in the world, where it was possible to study the development stages of the settlement history of primitive people from 2.5 million years to the last 15 thousand years. In 2001-2005, on the basis of the International “INTAS-2000” program conducted with European scientists under the leadership of A.G. Jafarov, migration processes of primitive people were studied and separate features of archaeological cultures were studied. It is unanimously accepted that the Guruchay culture is the oldest archaeological culture in the world.
More than 10,000 stone products and 100,000 hunted animal bones were found during the archaeological excavations in the Taglar paleolithic camp of Karabakh. Based on the findings of that camp, the technical and typological characteristics of labor tools are studied.
Gazma paleolithic camp in Nakhchivan was recorded and studied.
Material and cultural remains found in Buzeyir and Zuvandchay paleolithic camps registered in the territory of Lerik region are studied.
Currently, the department is continuing scientific-research work on the monograph “Archaeological cultures of Karabakh and Azikh in the world archeology” based on the material and cultural remains found in the Paleolithic camps of Karabakh.
Archaeological research of Gobustan monuments. Scientific research works are being carried out on the monograph “Archaeological Cultures of Gobustan”. As a result of the archaeological research conducted in Gobustan from 1939 to 1995, prosperous material and cultural remains and thousands of rock paintings from the Upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Eneolithic, Bronze and Middle Ages were recorded. Researching these found material-cultural remains at the modern level of archeology is the most important task.
As a result of the archaeological research, 8 cave camps and more than 20 open Paleolithic monuments were registered in the territory of our republic.Hundreds of scientific articles,8 monographs,8 books,on the Stone Age have been published.
Upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, bronze and medieval monuments have been studied in Gobustan territory. At the same time, comparative studies with other contemporary monuments of the world are being continued.
Employees of the “Stone Age Archaeology” department
- Asadulla Gudrat oglu Jafarov – head of department, doctor of historical sciences, professor
- Mansur Mahammad oglu Mansurov – leading researcher, doctor of philosophy in history, associate professor
- Fagan Vagif oghlu Yagubov – senior laboratory assistant
- Ulviyya Mahir gizi Hasanova – senior laboratory assistant
- Amila Asadulla gizi Alakbarova – senior laboratory assistant (0.5)
- Minaya Dayanatgizi Feizullayeva – artist