Leyla Khalifazadeh’s scientific contributions

Numerous scientific sources have confirmed Baku’s Maiden Tower as being a paramount example of Zoroastrianism and pre-Islamic architecture in Azerbaijan and Iran. In particular, some archaeological and architectural evidence indicate the tower to be the Holy Fire Temple-Tower of Zoroastrians, dating back to approximately the eighth to seventh century BC. As scientists argue, the tower had seven fire exits on the top, symbolizing the Zoroastrian "seven steps" or "seven skies" to get to heaven.

The author discusses the historical background of the origin of modernAzerbaijan divided by the Araz river into southern or Iranian and northern or theindependent Republic of Azerbaijan. The author analyzes the application of theSasanian name Adurbadagan to both sides of modern Azerbaijan. He believesthat the name Azerbaijan originates from the Avestan words Atash or Atar orAzar that means fire. As a historical and political term, Azerbaijan roots deep toAchaemenids’ Aturpatakan (Atropatena) evolving into the SasanianAdurbadagan - a Zoroastrian center of the empire. Since late Antiquity,Adurbadagan’s military and administrative functions were extended and appliedby the Sasanids to all lands in the north from the Aras river, up to Darbandfortress in Arran (Albania) in Caucasia. The author argue, since late Antiquity,Adurbadagan and Arran became interchangeable names in the northern bank ofthe Araz river. In the Islamic period, particularly after Seljuk Turks conquest ofIran, Adurbadagan evolved into the Turkified form of Azarbadajan or Azerbaijan,cementing the modern Azerbaijani Turks’ identity in the south and north sides ofthe entire Azerbaijan divided by the Araxes.Keywords: Iran; Sasanian; Adurbadagan; Arran; Caucasus Albania; Azerbaijan (PDF) Resent Trends in Arts and Social Studies, Chapter 8, From Sasanian Adurbadagan to Modern Azerbaijan: Historical Background and Developments. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374531862_Resent_Trends_in_Arts_and_Social_Studies_Chapter_8_From_Sasanian_Adurbadagan_to_Modern_Azerbaijan_Historical_Background_and_Developments [accessed Oct 07 2023].

The author discusses the historical background of the origin of modern Azerbaijan divided by the Araz river into southern or Iranian and northern or the independent Republic of Azerbaijan. The author analyzes the application of the Sasanian name Adurbadagan to both sides of modern Azerbaijan. He believes that the name Azerbaijan originates from the Avestan words Atash or Atar or Azar that means fire. As a historical and political term, Azerbaijan roots deep to Achaemenids’ Aturpatakan (Atropatena) evolving into the Sasanian Adurbadagan - a Zoroastrian center of the empire. Since late Antiquity, Adurbadagan’s military and administrative functions were extended and applied by the Sasanids to all lands in the north from the Aras river, up to Darband fortress in Arran (Albania) in Caucasia. The author argue, since late Antiquity, Adurbadagan and Arran became interchangeable names in the northern bank of the Araz river. In the Islamic period, particularly after Seljuk Turks conquest of Iran, Adurbadagan evolved into the Turkified form of Azarbadajan or Azerbaijan, cementing the modern Azerbaijani Turks’ identity in the south and north sides of the entire Azerbaijan divided by the Araxes.

Azerbaijan has a long history that dates back to the Zoroastrian era. As some scholars have indicated, Azerbaijan (Adurbadagan in Pahlavi) was a place where the prophet Zoroaster was born and where one of two copies of Avesta was kept in the sacred fire temple - Adur Gushnasp. The present-day Azerbaijan has many places related to Zoroastrianism as well, one of which is Ateshgah, a pilgrimage and currently philosophical center of Zoroastrians near Baku. Baku has a rich historical and cultural heritage em­bedded in the history of Azerbaijan. The Maiden Tower- (Azerbaijani: Qiz qalas,) is a legendary landmark in Baku. Since 2001, the Tower, along with Baku's Walled City (Old City) and the Palace of Shirvan-Shahs, has been in­cluded on UNESCO's World Heritage List. There has been extensive academic discussions of the origin, purpose and date of construction of the Maiden Tower. Some scholars, particularly Ashurbeily, believe that the Maiden Tower as being a paramount example of Zoroastrian and pre-Islamic architecture in Azerbaijan. Hasanov argues rather that the tower is a pagan monument of Scythian - Sakka - Cimmerian culture and is related to the Scythian Flaming Goddess - Tapati. In other hand, D.Akhundov contrariwise insists that Baku is the ancient Atash-i Baquan fortress which had a fire temple-tower of the Zoroastrian God Ahura­ Mazda. He argues that Baku's Maiden Tower is a Holy Fire Temple-Tower of Zoroastrians, which had seven fire exits on the top symbolizing the Zoroastrian "seven steps" or "seven skies" to rich heaven. Notably, the word "Atash;' as it is well-known, has an Avestan origin. Historically, it evolved to "Adur'' (Pahlavi) and finally into the Turkified form "Azar" or "Azer" that is a core of the name Azarbaijan or nowadays Azerbaijan, descending from Parthian Aturpatakan "a place where the holy fire is protected''. Azerbaijan or the Sassanids' Adurbadagan was a religious center of the empire, with Adur Gushnasp in Adurbadagan proclaimed as the most sacred or"cathedral"fire temple.

The article analyzes application of the name Adurbadagan to both sides of modern Azerbaijan divided by the Araz river into southern or Iranian and northern or the independent Republic of Azerbaijan. The authors believe that name Azerbaijan roots to the Avestan words Azar or Atash. As a historical and political term, Azerbaijan originates from Achaemenids' Aturpatakan (Atropatena) evolving into the Sassanian Adurbadagan-a Zoroastrian center of the empire. Since late Antiquity, Adurbadagan's military and administrative functions were extended and applied by the Sassanids to all lands in the north from the Aras River, up to Darband fortress in the Caucasus. In the Islamic period, Adurbadagan evolved into Turkified form of Azarbadajan or Azerbaijan, cementing the modern Azerbaijani Turks' identity in the south and north sides of the entire Azerbaijan divided by the Araxes.