Nearly 500 grave monuments have been discovered at the Xarxar necropolis in the Gadabay district of Azerbaijan.
This information was provided to the Operative Information Center-OMM by the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS).
According to the report, initial research conducted in 2023 by Tukezban Goyushova, head of the Gadabay archaeological expedition, identified approximately 130 graves based on surface features. Subsequent removal of topsoil has revealed a significant number of new burials, primarily children's graves, bringing the current total to nearly 500.
The graves exhibit consistent burial patterns, with many featuring upright headstones and footstones, as well as chest stones oriented southwest to northeast. The stones, primarily natural rock, vary in size and weight, with some reaching up to one ton. Notably, some stones feature carvings of Albanian crosses, which are significant for studying the history of Christian monuments in the region. Preliminary findings suggest that the site was used for burials over a period of four to five centuries following the adoption of Christianity.
The Xarxar necropolis was first identified in 2012 by the late archaeologist Goshgar Goshgarli. The ongoing excavations, which have divided the site into specific zones for systematic study, aim to further analyze burial customs and conduct anthropological research on human remains, providing deeper insight into the medieval history of the region.
