As a result of rescue archaeological efforts in the territory of Eminli village, Masalli district, a jar burial from the Antiquity period was investigated. The excavations were conducted by leading researchers of the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of ANAS — PhD in History, Associate Professor Anar Agalarzade, and PhD in History, Associate Professor Dmitriy Kirichenko.

This intriguing burial monument, provisionally labeled as “Jar Burial No. 3”, was discovered at a depth of 40 cm in a flat area. A notable feature is that the entire surface of the burial was covered with sea shells, and even the interior of the burial jar was severely damaged by their effects. The main reason for this is that long after the burial, the area was flooded due to the rising level of the Caspian Sea, and the graves remained underwater for an extended period.

The examined jar was buried horizontally, with its mouth facing west. On one side of the jar’s opening, a poorly crafted clay vessel with a handle was placed, but unfortunately, it had collapsed due to excessive moisture. Nearby, there was also a small vessel with a spout, presumably of the oinochoe or enochoe type — a single-handled jug with a rounded mouth split into three sections. Such vessels were typically used for storing wine.

During the burial ritual, a fire was lit at the mouth of the jar — an act interpreted in scientific literature as a purification rite to ward off evil spirits.

Inside the jar, the deceased was buried in a tightly contracted position, lying on the right side, with the face oriented to the southwest. According to anthropologist D. Kirichenko, the remains belong to a mature male of Caucasoid type. The teeth exhibited heavy wear, as well as caries and dental calculus. The femurs showed signs of intense physical activity, suggesting that the individual could be classified as a “mounted warrior.” This hypothesis is supported by the iron spearhead found in the grave, indicating that the deceased was likely a horse rider and spearman.

Surrounding the skeleton were three miniature vessels (possibly for oils or perfumes) and one bowl-shaped vessel. The pottery found in the grave suggests both local production and imports from the Mediterranean region.

Numerous beads of various shapes and sizes were recovered from the jar, as well as a pair of gold earrings in the form of grape clusters, made using the soldering technique and found in the ears of the skeleton. These gold earrings have many parallels across the ancient world. This type of earring first appeared in the Bronze Age on the island of Crete. From the mid-2nd millennium BCE, such ornaments were produced by jewelers in Greece, Cyprus, and on Sicily (Italy), maintaining their form into the medieval period. Similar earrings are depicted on vases and coins, and casting molds for them have been found in burials on Cyprus and Crete.

In Azerbaijan, such earrings were first discovered in 1949 by archaeologist Omar Ismizade in the Yaloylutepe necropolis (Gabala district), in graves No. 1 and 3, and were dated to the 1st century BCE. Later, similar examples were found in catacomb burials during the construction of the Mingachevir HPP, dated to the 1st–3rd centuries CE. In the South Caucasus, similar earrings have been uncovered in excavations in Mtskheta (Georgia) and Garni (Armenia).

Based on preliminary assumptions, the earrings from Eminli most likely originated from the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly from Cyprus, which in antiquity was a center of such jewelry production.

Thus, the Eminli jar burial may be considered the only richly furnished grave monument from antiquity discovered to date in southeastern Azerbaijan, containing both locally produced and imported valuable items. These characteristics emphasize the necessity of conducting complex archaeological excavations at the site in the near future.

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