Gala State Historical and Ethnographic Preserve

Google Maps:
40.439694, 50.169127

Type of site:
National Museum - Archaeological Park

Place of location: Absheron peninsula
Village/Town: Gala settlement
Municipality: Gala municipality (Khazar district)
Region: Baku
State: Azerbaijan
Telephone: (+994 12) 459 14 37
Website: https://heydar-aliyev-foundation.org/en/content/view/136/2243/Qala-Archaeological-and-Ethnographic-Museum-Complex-
E-mail: reception@icherisheher.gov.az

Natural Environment:

Absheron peninsula in late Bronze and Iron Age epochs represented contemporary landscape-semidesert with uplands, seldom reaching 300-400 m in height. Southwestern part at present time has more disjoint relief, which is connected with different lithologic composition of bedrocks- clay, sand, sandstones, and limestones of tertiary age. Absheron peninsula is washed by the Caspian Sea from three sides and is protected by massive mountains of the Caucasus ridge from the west. A peculiar subtropic climate of Absheron is formed under the influence of the whole number of factors. Hot breath of Caspian and Kur steppes, entrance of cold air masses from the north-west and northeast make Absheron the arena of enormous shift of air currents. Absheron is a mountainous area. Folded mountainous structure of the surface is very well seen in the western part of the peninsula, in the eastern part mountains are cut off with abrasion and blocked with its deposits. Here, plain relief was formed. This whole area is covered with ancient Caspian and contemporary deposits. To the extreme eastern zone of this lowland directly adjoining the shore of the Caspian Sea sand dunes are characteristic, which run almost continuously along the shore of the Caspian Sea up to Absheron peninsula.

Archaeological evidences in the site:

As is known, the most ancient monuments of Absheron date back to no earlier than the III millenium B.C. Data on the spread of aurochs in Caspian regions of Azerbaijan are largely supplemented by the materials of numerous accumulations of rock carvings. In Dubendi grotto in Absheron peninsula, depictions of wild aurochs. In ancient art of people of Azerbaijan, according to stylistic manner of carving pictures it is possible to didtinguish 2 isolated areas. It is a territory of Absheron, petroglyphs of which differ in plots – prevalence in subjects of images of people, household, and cult scenes, and Small Caucasus area, for rock art of which half-nomadic cattle breeding («summer pasture») cult-magic subjects is peculiar. Images of animals prevail. As to petroglyphs of Absheron that are met on megalithic stones and rocks of Absheron, the whole complex of monuments is dated to approximately the end of Bronze Age epoch.

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Opening Times:

all year round except January 1. from april 15 until october 15- 10:00-18:30/ from october 16 until april 14 – 09:30-17:30

Booking and access:

Nearby cultural destinations:

1) Gala Museum of Antique Items, 2) Gala castle 12th-14th centuries, 3) Museum: “From Waste to Art”, 4) Mardakan Round Castle- 14th century , 5) Mardakan Quadrangular Castle-14th century, 6) Ateshgah (Temple fire used by zoroastrists), 7) Azerbaijan Carpet Museum Address: 28 Mikayil Useynov Ave, the seaside Boulevard, 8) Old City known as a “fortress”- is a unique historical and architectural conservation area in the centre of Baku where also located well-known historical monuments – The Maiden Tower ( 12th century) and Shirvanshah palace (the 13th-16th century)

Nearby natural destinations:

Salty lake (local people obtained salt for household and for sale in the Medieval ages ), three public bath houses: 1) Bath house “Gum” 12th-14th centuries, underground bath house; 2) the foundation and remnants salty bath house used for skin disorders, 19 th century, 3) public bath house using until todays.

Accommodations (Tourism Website):
https://bakutravelguide.com/en/tag/association-of-hotels-and-restaurants-of-azerbaijan/
Restaurants (Tourism Website):
https://bakutravelguide.com/en/tag/association-of-hotels-and-restaurants-of-azerbaijan/

Age of the artistic representations:

First and second half of the third and second millennia Before Christ

General description of the destination:

AREAS OFTHE SITE: 1) Gala Archaeological Ethnographic Museum Complex, 2) Gala castle (Rock shelters, underground roads, remains of primary human settlement) 3) Dubendi Grotto,4) Archaeological monument of Eastern Absheron Peninsula

The petroglyphs demonstrated in our museum are the ones found in the territory of Absheron. The oldest examples of them were described by the ways of engraving, scratching and chipping. The most of these petroglyphs are dating back to 3rd- 2nd millennium, B.C. The content and structure of images has great importance. Themes and topic of Absheron petroglyphs are different. General ideological views were presented by though these images. The stages of hunting, sacrificing humans, holy marriage, etc. were demonstrated on these images. The main character in these paintings is goddess of woman. She is represented in detail-upright and hands rose. As a result of comparison colorful plot legends (myths) there are created ancient types with the fundamental and universal mythological themes and reflected on tribal art of different people living in different regions. Deer occupied an important place on religious beliefs and ceremonies of ancient tribes settled in the territory of Azerbaijan.

History of the site:

Gala State Historical and Ethnographic Reserve was created by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated April 18, 1988 No. 135. The castle, which dates back 5000 years ago, is an ancient settlement. The Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum Complex was created in 2008 on the initiative and under the leadership of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in the open air in the Gala Reserve. Typical for Azerbaijan archeological and architectural monuments, especially the village of Gala and the Absheron Peninsula, were collected and restored on the territory of the museum complex. In this area BC Fortresses, archaeological sites of the III-II millennia, settlements of that time, medieval and other architectural examples. built in its original form. In accordance with the protection requirements of modern museums and monuments, an area of 1.5 hectares was created to view the historical pearls of Absheron.

Museographic resources description:

A numerous archeological monuments peculiar to Azerbaijan (particularly to Gala and Absheron peninsula) were collected and restored in the territory of Museum complex. The barrows archeological monuments dating back to 3rd – 2nd millennium BC, settlements dating to the same period, residential and other architectural models dating to the middle ages, etc. were constructed in their original form in this territory. In accordance with the current requirements towards protection of museums and monuments the favorable condition for observing historical masterpiece of Absheron has been established in the 1,5 hectares territory. The museum includes the map, plan, scheme where monuments, historical places of Absheron peninsula and our monuments located of Absheron are described. The foundations of houses belongs to the Medieval ages were discovered during the archeological excavations in the time of establishing the museum. In the territory also have Archaeological gallery where have different artifacts that found during archaeological excavations and houses belongs the 16th-17th and 19th centuries with interior of that time.