The Concept of Bayirshahar in Baku and Hammam Culture (based on archaeological research of Zargarpalan Hamam)

Abstract

The city of Baku was rich in historical and cultural monuments of the ancient and middle ages, and in the post-medieval periods, it carried the synthesis of Eastern and Western culture with its urban planning features and architectural landscapes. Since the Middle Ages, Bayirshahar (outer city) was formed around the Baku fortress – Icharishahar (inner city). The oil boom of the 19th century accelerated this process, architectural works in an eclectic style began to appear.
Bayirshahar community has its own collective memory, constituting a large part of the population of Baku. They formed neighborhoods such as Sovetski, Kubinka, Chambarakand, Garashahar, and spent their collective labor in the creation of subcultures. In this sense, collective memory emerges as the main element of the historical evidence of the history and cultural monuments during research of the community of Zargarpalan neighborhood.
The Zargarpalan bath expedition of the Institute of Archeology and Anthropology of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences conducted archaeological research in the Bath located in the Zargarpalan quarter in September-November 2024 by order of the "Miras" Public Union in Support of Studying of Cultural Heritage. The expedition cleaned the soil, asphalt and concrete layer in the first and second hall of the Bath, including all the rooms, and studied the cultural layer until reaching the rocks in several places.
1. The bath, like in other parts of Baku, was built on a rock;
2. The heating network of the bath is covered with sifted small sand from all sides;
3. The heating network of the bathhouse heated the second hall, and the smoke moved through the network and exited from the chimney on the opposite side of the stoker;
4. Muslim traditions were respected in the bath, and the swimming pool was not used because there was no running water;
5. The bathhouse lost its function during the Soviet era, and operated as a blacksmith, coppersmith, felt, clothing, and mirror workshop;
6. All the interior elements of the first hall of the bath have been revealed and etc.
Interviews were conducted with the community of Zargarpalan neighborhood in order to develop knowledge about the activity of the bathhouse and its place in the public and social life of the neighborhood, and their further wishes were recorded.

Gafar Jabiyev Prof.Dr., Fariz Khalilli PhD & Elmira Abbasova PhD, Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Mahammad Nurmammadov PhD, Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction, & Luigi Scrinzi Prof.Dr. (Italy). The Concept of Bayirshahar in Baku and Hammam Culture (based on archaeological research of Zargarpalan Hamam). XIII Scientific International Conference "Ohrid - Vodici, 2025". 17-19 January 2025 year. Ohrid, North Macedonia.

Full text

THE CONCEPT OF
BAYIRSHAHAR IN BAKU AND
HAMMAM CULTURE
(BASED ON
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
RESEARCH OF
ZARGARPALAN HAMAM)
Prof.Dr. Gafar Jabiyev (1), Dr. Fariz Khalilli (1), Dr.
Elmira Abbasova (1), Prof.Dr. Luigi Scrinzi (2),
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Mahammad Nurmammadov (3)
(1) Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of the
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences; (2) "Miras"
Public Union in Support of Studying of Cultural
Heritage; (3) Azerbaijan University of Architecture and
Construction

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