Research Information System
Milli Folklor, vol.17, no.131, pp.151-163, 2021 (AHCI)
The territories of Azerbaijan from the northern part of Araz are mentioned in ancient and early medieval sources as Albania, Aran, Rani, and in modern scientific literature as Caucasian Albania. Among the sources providing information about this ancient Azerbaijani state (IVth-VIIIth centuries B.C.), the work "The History of Albania" by Musa Kalankatuklu, who lived in Caucasian Albania in the VIIth century, has a special place. The work is the only local source of the Middle Ages of Azerbaijan. The territory of Azerbaijan, which is one of the most ancient settlements of the Turkic layer, was additionally enriched in the early Middle Ages by the tribes of the Huns, Bulgars, Savir, Onogur, Barsil, Kipchak and Khazar. The work History of the Albania which provides valuable information on Caucasian Albania's territory, population, rulers, the social, economic, politi-cal, religious, and ideological situation is also rich in information about the Hun, Barsil, Onogur, Caspian tribes, their religious beliefs, and traditions, that have flowed into these lands since the first centuries of the era. The source describes in detail the events that took place in Azerbaijan in the early Middle Ages, provides detailed information about the Hun, Barsil, Onogur, Caspian tribes, their religious beliefs and rituals that flowed to these lands from the first centuries of the era. As Kalankatuklu witnessed many events of the 7th century, most of the information in the book is based on the author's live observations. From this point of view, the information provided by the author is important for determining the ethnocultural environment in Azerbaijan in the early Middle Ages, especially the ancient Turkic tribes that spread in this period in Azerbaijan, and the traces of ethnic traditions preserved in them. The work containing mythological, ethnographic, religious, political and historical information about the early middle ages; it provides important data about the settlement and expansion processes of the old Turkish tribes in Azerbaijan, Turkish origin toponyms, personal names, war ranks and expressions of the Turks. In the source, the settlement areas, religious beliefs and rites of the Turkish tribes who flocked to Azerbaijan since the first centuries AD are described in all details. The work helps to analyze the elements related to the Old Turkic language and life, as well as to reveal the traces of ancient Turks preserved in Azerbaijani folk beliefs and traditions. This ancient Albanian source is considered as a primary source for researching the history of ancient Turkish tribes in the Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. The article researches the ethnocultural environment in Azerbaijan in the early Middle Ages, the Turkic tribes that spread in Azerbaijan at this stage, their linguistic characteristics, beliefs, and domestic traditions on the basis of information obtained from the History of the Albania. The article reveals, analyzes and compares toponyms of ancient Turkic origin, military ranks, personal names, as well as beliefs and rituals mentioned in the source, and reveals traces in modern Azerbaijani life and folk beliefs.