Dashkesan archeological expedition of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of ANAS discovered a religious place of worship 3,000 years ago during archeological excavations in Khoshbulag plateau, 2000 meters above sea level in Dashkesan region.
According to the head of the expedition, Doctor of Philosophy in Historical Sciences, Associate Professor Bakhtiyar Jalilov, the mound-type archeological monument registered in the region was excavated during the expedition, Gadin.Net reported. Along the perimeter of the top of the mound there was a cromlex (cromlex - a sacred stone circle) consisting of large rocks. The burial chamber of the mound is of the stone box type. The chamber is made of large boulders in a rectangular shape and covered with boulders. Based on the remains of a human skeleton and samples of material culture found in the grave chamber, it was determined that the mound belonged to a woman. The man was buried with his face facing east and his right side folded. The artifacts found in the mound chamber are mainly represented by ornaments made of metal and mineral stones. A comparative analysis of the material culture samples found at the monument shows that it dates back to the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age and belongs to the Khojaly-Gadabay archeological culture.
In addition, during the expedition, during the excavations between the two mounds, which were studied in the area, one of which was 20 meters away from the other, the remains of a building of special interest were found. According to preliminary results, the square, built of rock, is believed to be a place of worship or any religious ritual. Samples of material culture found in the remains of the building indicate that it belongs to the same period as the mounds. Traces of hearths and special stone cells were found inside the remains of a religious ritual building. The height of the surviving walls of the building is about one meter. Evidence and archeological finds from the remains of the building are being studied.
During the archeological expedition, a stone box was excavated on the right bank of the Khoshbulag River on the outskirts of Khoshbulag village. The tomb chamber made of rocks is covered with two rocks. Six samples of pottery, a bronze belt, an iron dagger and the remains of a human skeleton were found in the stone box. Samples found from archeological monuments were brought to the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of ANAS for research in laboratory conditions. Experts believe that the archeological excavations carried out in the area and the scientific results obtained from them are important in studying the religious worldviews, burial customs and, in general, the history of the Khojaly-Gadabay tribes.