ON THE SLOPES OF THE GREAT CAUCASUS

This small district is situated around Lake Aci-nohur. It is a good area for hunting and fishing. The main hunting zones are the plains in the Qaniq Ericay Valley and the foothills. Several kinds of pear grow in Qax, which is famous for its fruit. Lemonade made from this fruit is decidedly a boon to any table. Qax is also abundant in other fruit which may be used for making compotes and jams and which are dried for the winter. Medicinal drinks like sarbat, rose water, medlar, grape and other juices are also served. Sarbat made from honey is especially prized. The mineral water known as "Qax Suyu", from the slopes of a mountain surrounded by woods near the village of Suskan, has also become quite popular in recent years.

The place name

When we hear the name Qax, we think first of dried fruit, because this is what it means in Azerbaijani. In fact, the place name has nothing to do with dried fruit. It means a "castle" or a "fortification". Another version relates it to the name of the ancient Qaq tribe which inhabited this place. The most recent hypothesis explains its origin as a merger of the words "qa" - a place of residence - and "ax" - a river. The word Qaax later becoming Qax.

In his book "The History of Media", Academician Iqrar Aliyev says that one of the 24 non-Iranian tribes which inhabited Media was called "Karkh". They lived in mountainous areas and were distributed over a large area.

Historical monuments

The district is rich in historical monuments. Most of them are scattered throughout the surrounding villages. Archaeological monuments and barrows found in Qax prove that the land has been populated since the Bronze Age. After visiting the walls of the castle in the district centre (16th century), the Friday mosque (19th century) and the Alaverdi Church, we recommend a visit to the largest, most ancient and most famous shrine in the South Caucasus.

The Kurmuk Temple (5th century)

This is located on one of the hills in Qax. You can drive along a forest road up to the temple and walk several hundred metres. The territory is full of fruit orchards. The temple site provides a wonderful view of the surrounding area. The temple is named after the Kurmuk River. The meaning of the word Kurmuk is explained by the merging of the words "kur" - "extravagant" or "capricious" and "muq" - the name of a Hun tribe.

Since the 19th century, this temple has been known as St George's Church. It is visited by pilgrims from Georgia. April and November are the months of pilgrimage. It is one of the rarest places visited by both Christians and Muslims. It is necessary to offer a sacrifice after every pilgrimage. It is interesting that Christian pilgrims do not slaughter pigs. Kurmuk is one of the most ancient Albanian temples of the early Middle Ages. They say that in the pre-Christian era, the inhabitants of Albania worshipped the Goddess of the Moon and that this temple was built in her honour.

Haji Murat is buried here

People who are well-versed in history will definitely linger in the village of Tanqit. On the road from Qax to Zaqatala, there is a narrow path leading to an oak forest, at the end there is a cemetery. Sheikh Shamil's close associate Haji Murat is buried here. The tombstone carries an inscription in Arabic: "Here lies the great Avar martyr Murat Khunzaki". This small village is named after one of the great Turkic families that lived here.

There are hundreds of myths and legends about Haji Murat. The great Russian writer Lev Tolstoy dedicated his novel "Haji Murat" (1896) to him.

In recent years, a number of historians from Turkey have visited a graveyard located in another village in the Qax District. The reason is a belief that the grave of the famous Turkish philosopher and poet Yunus Emre (1240-1320) is situated there.

Yunus Emre's grave

This is a monumental grave which, according to some information, is that of the classical Turkish poet, Yunus Emre. It is believed that one of the seven graves of the poet, who died 700 years ago, is located in this village. In Turkey itself, there are 22 supposed graves of Yunus Emre, however, it is not known for sure in which grave he was buried. Unlike other places, at the Oncalli cemetery, the poet was buried together with his murid, Haci Tapdiq. They arrived in the region in order to convert the local Kipchaks to Islam. In propagating a love for Allah, and being a follower of mysticism, the poet travelled the whole of Anatolia, Azerbaijan and Persia.

The village of Qum

The name of this ancient village is related to a Kipchak tribe. The name of Khan Kipchak was mentioned in the second century. Qum is one of Azerbaijan's most ancient villages. This is graphically proven by the presence in the region of several historical monuments. The village is situated 8 km from the district centre, on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus, at 700 metres above sea level. The Ardava river flows through the village. The mountain slopes are covered by dense forest in which medlar, cherry plums, cornel, forest pear and wild apples grow. There are 200 houses here. On the edge of the village, which is replete with Caucasian Albanian monuments, there is a small, ancient Albanian temple which used to serve as a parochial church.

Nizami's homeland

The village of Qum is known as this. We are talking about the Azerbaijani poetic genius of the 12th century, Nizami Gancavi, who was connected with this village. In his work "The Azerbaijani Atabay State" (Baku, 1985), Academician Ziya Bunyadov assumed that Nizami Gancavi's wife, Afaq, belonged to a Kipchak family from the village of Qum. There is a popular saying that while travelling in the Great Caucasus Mountains, Nizami once observed Mount Kapaz from a height near the village of Qum. Having learnt this, the Atabay ruler Qizil Arslan gave this village to his favourite poet and even married him to a local girl called Agca. The girl's relatives, who respected the poet, built a palace for him here. They say that in summer, Nizami came here to holiday with his wife. However, the poet's happiness did not last long and, after Agca's untimely death, Nizami stopped visiting. The village and the palace given by Qizil Arslan were left ownerless.

The basilica (5th century)

This is a charming, majestic building and is known as the Hunn Temple, an ancient Albanian temple in the village of Qum. It is 25 metres long and 20 metres wide. The basilica has balconies on all four sides and three halls. There are sacrificial and prayer rooms. The dilapidated monument is overgrown by trees and bushes. Tastefully shaped large stone columns and arches stand out. According to Albanian historians, the Palestinian missionary Patrick Yelisey, who came here to spread Christianity, died in a place called Qomenik (on the site of the present-day village of Qum). Later, the ruler of Caucasian Albania, Vachagan III, ordered the building of a temple here. This is the only theory related to the history of the temple in the village of Qum.

The Tsakhurs

The Tsakhurs who live in the village of Qum are one of the most ancient peoples of Azerbaijan. They call themselves Yixiy or Yixbi. Their historical lands are in the valleys of the Kura and Alazan rivers and the upper reaches of the Samur River. There is information and popular legend that the Tsakhurs lived in these areas in the 19th century. The Tsakhurs, one of the Albanian tribes, live mainly in Azerbaijan and Dagestan. They number in total 20,000-30,000. They speak Tsakhur, a language which belongs to the Lezgin group of Dagestani languages. They are engaged in cattle-breeding, agriculture and weaving. The Tsakhurs, who played an important role in the development of Caucasian Albania, were one of the first to adopt Christianity. The people of Qum are known for their home-made wines, made from the Izabella and Amerikanka grapes which they grow in their gardens.

Balli Bulaq

This is a resort 5 km from the village of Qum and near the village of Cinarli - a real tourist paradise. There is a large, tumultuous cascade in the dense forest that surrounds Qaracay. The water falls from the height of several storeys and has formed natural baths where people can bathe and find relief from the summer heat.

Sirt Castle (8th century)

This is found in the upper reaches of Qum village - on a site with a stunningly beautiful view from the top of a high mountain. It is only possible to reach it via a natural path. There is no accurate information about the history of this castle. All the surrounding villages are clearly visible from its height. It looks like a watchtower. It is believed that the castle was built for defensive purposes.

The village of Lakit

They say that this village has a history going back 1,600 years. There are many villages of this name in Azerbaijan. Some think that it derives from the word "Lokut", which is a non-granular rice broth. In fact, the place name is related to that of a Turkic-speaking tribal alliance. Strabo recorded that, along with the Gel mountain people of the Caucasus, this place was also populated by Leks. These are the same Leks who are referred to as "Liks" in sources related to Urartu.

The village is 20 km from the district centre. The area is rich in thick forests, mountain rivers, springs and a complex of mountain castles. Lakit is one of the most notable villages in Qax. It is surrounded by nut orchards. Local residents say that local nuts are bigger and tastier than those growing in other places. The population professes Islam. The mosque which is situated in the centre was built from cobble stones and lime in the 18th century. It used to have a madrasa. After the elders who taught there departed this world, they were buried within the grounds of the mosque. In Lakit, there are two monuments of world renown, situated in the upper and lower parts of the village.

The Albanian temple (5th century)

The temple is on the outskirts of the village and is surrounded by nut orchards. It was built in Byzantine style. The temple was founded in the pre-Christian period. According to Albanian popular belief, it was built to honour a god. The Albanian temple in the village of Lakit is regarded as one of the most important monuments of Caucasian Albania.

In 1968, a monument belonging to the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age was discovered in the villages of Lakit and Kotuklu. This is a treasure containing various ornamentations, which testifies to the existence of a highly developed culture in this area at the end of the second and the beginning of the first millennium BC. In the 8th century BC, this area was part of a Scythian state and, in the 4th century BC, part of the Albanian state.

In 1985, an archaeological survey was carried out of the Albanian temple in the village of Lakit and in the basilica in the village of Qum. The survey established that these monuments belong to the 4th-6th centuries. Based on its architecture, it is believed that the temple in the village of Lakit was part of the Albanian episcopacy.

The Seven Churches (5th-6th centuries)

There is an inscription on this monument: "Sovmanishin 7 Churches". The word "sovmanishin" means "a monastery" or "a church". The name comes from the fact that there used to be a monastery with two basilicas and five small sovmas here. The monument is on the road from Lakit to Kotuklu, in a mountain forest at the highest northern point of the village. Most of it has been destroyed. An altar and large (presumably for storing grain) and small (for storing gold coins) clay jugs were found here. On a nearby mountain, there are ruins of castles where the monks hid from danger and defended themselves.

The monastery resembles a small, compact village. Apparently, the monks survived by subsistence farming. The monastery was built in the period when Christianity was just developing. This complex is the biggest Caucasian Albanian monument in the region. A vast plain near the monastery is called Albantala. From here you can reach the Mamirli (Mossy) cascade on foot through a dense forest and down a steep slope.

The Mamirli cascade

This is in the heart of a thick forest near the village of Lakit-Kotuklu. It is a very rare type of cascade. The water that has permeated the rocks for centuries has helped moss to grow and cover the rocks so thickly that they seem to be covered by an emerald carpet. The forest canopy is so dense that sunlight never reaches the ground, which is permanently cold. The area surrounding the cascade is a real paradise for a picnic. Visitors to the villages of Lakit and Kotuklu definitely come to see the cascade, so it is always crowded here.

The village of Qaxingiloy

Founded in 1897, the village is two kilometres from the centre - in an area of outstanding beauty populated by extremely welcoming people. The church in the centre of the village is a 19th century monument. The village, populated by Ingiloys, differs from other villages of Azerbaijan in its traditions, customs and lifestyle. The Ilgiloys have lived in the fertile, irrigated land around the Alazan River from time immemorial. Houses with large gardens are widely spaced from each other. There is a kahriz system in all courtyards. The kitchens cooking puri-khachapuri are always a draw.

Puri-Khachapuri

Puri is the name of a bread with a very different shape and taste. One loaf of this elongated bread, which resembles Turkish pide, can be eaten at one sitting. Khachapuri is a pastry filled with cheese. Made from flaky paste, khachapuri is famous throughout the Caucasus. They put suluguni cheese into rolled pastry, fold it, giving it a rectangular form, and moisten the top with a brush in order for it to bake well and develop a crust. It is baked for about 20 minutes. The baked pastry swells and sometimes they pierce it with a straw so that it bakes well from the inside. It would be a sin not to try these Ingiloy delicacies.

Ingiloy feast

The hospitable villagers are very keen on feasts which go on for some time. Their main elements are songs, kebabs served on skewers and the mandatory cheese and puri on the table. We should also mention the main feature of the feast - wine.

Wine

Wine has been common among the Ingiloys for as long as anyone can remember. The development of vine-growing in ancient times in the Alazan valley also inspired the development of wine-making. Archaeological excavations in this territory have uncovered large wine jugs containing fossilized remains of wine. In order to avoid falling ill, Christian Ilgiloys drink wine after every meal.

In this region, almost everyone produces home-made wine in their courtyard. Some kind of wine grape grows and ripens in late August and early September in every courtyard. It is picked and processed and then poured into different clay jugs to mature. The smallest jug takes 25 litres, while the biggest holds 100 litres. The wine-filled jug filled is sealed tightly to prevent air from infiltrating and is kept for at least a year.

The jug is opened on special days: on holidays or when a guest arrives. Everyone gathers to where the jug is buried. The host cleans the neck of the jug, opens it, pours out the upper layer of wine, pours it into a special vessel and mixes it. Then, he pours wine for all the guests and proposes the first toast of welcome. The glasses are drained, the puri, cheese and kebab are eaten and only then is it poured into a big carafe. Every person sitting at the table proposes a toast in turn. They say wonderful words for those present and absent. The glasses are drained one after another, and the person who arrives sober cannot remember later how he left. A jug once open must be finished, otherwise the wine might turn into vinegar as it comes into contact with the air.

Kurumukhi

This is also pronounced kurmukku. This is the name of a schoolboy folk group in the village of Qaxingiloy. They are keepers of mountain folklore. Local national dances and music, dance movements and songs like Gilveloy and Atabari are notable for their similarity with the folklore of Turkey's Black Sea region. As the boys sing and dance, it is difficult for spectators to resist as the whole body responds instinctively.

The Caucasian national costume that the boys wear has long since fallen out of everyday use. Its main attribute is surely the dagger.

The dagger

In the past it was a matter of duty and honour for every mature man to wear a dagger. This was necessary for self-defence. This tradition, typical of all mountain folk, is also part of Ingiloy life.

The village of Ingiloy-Kotuklu

This is another wonderful village in Qax populated by Ingiloys. It is interesting to visit this place in early June when the mulberry ripens. People make a lot of noise and sometimes laugh, joking and shouting while stretching large cloths (xarals) under big mulberry trees, and immediately attract your attention. If you walk by, you have to beware not to fall under a hail of fruit. Such is the tradition - they pick mulberries by shaking the trees here. To this end, one man climbs the tree, while others stretch the xaral underneath so that the fruit does not fall on the ground. As soon as the process ends, everyone goes for the fruit. In order to retain its sweetness and vitamins, it is not washed. The mulberry is used to make bakmaz or dosab without any additives. The preparation of this sweet is a very lengthy and laborious process.

Chacha

Sometimes called "moonshine", Chacha is another exclusive product made in Ingiloy villages. The mulberry that is harvested is left to ferment. Then special equipment is used to make environmentally safe 70-degree vodka. The day when the vessel of chacha is opened is marked in the village by the mulberry festival. They drink this vodka in the cold part of the year in order to warm up. Chacha is also made from apples, pears, cherries, apricots, peaches, cornel and other fruit. The drinks made from cornel and mulberry are regarded as the best.

To talk about the particularities of Qax, its local sights, nature, life and cuisine in one article is just scratch the surface. Thus we will continue our journey to this picturesque part of Azerbaijan in our next edition, in which we will dwell separately on Ilisu; a visit to this resort will relieve you of stress for a whole year.