Azerbaijan Hosts International Conference on Protecting Ancient Human Settlements

The Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan organized an international scientific conference titled “Protection of Ancient Human Settlements: Threats and Modern Approaches” at the Heydar Aliyev Center in the capital, Baku.

The three-day event, held last week, brought together scientists, researchers, experts, and representatives of international organizations advocating for cultural heritage preservation.

On March 16, the foreign participants of the conference visited the Khudavang Monastery Complex in Azerbaijan’s Kalbajar district, gaining valuable insights into the history of this sacred site.

The monastery, an ancient Azerbaijani architectural monument and religious site inherited from the historic Azerbaijani state of Caucasian Albania, dates back to the 8th–13th centuries, with its components built in different periods. While the basilica of the temple traces its origins to the 8th–9th centuries, its Arzu Khatun Church was built in the 13th century.

During Armenia’s occupation from 1992 to 2020, the monastery suffered severe vandalism and plundering. A mock “restoration” at the complex, sponsored by the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian state, led to unlawful alterations to the Arzu Khatun and Great Hasan churches, as well as other structures.

In December 2020, at an exhibition in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, stolen artifacts from the Khudavang Monastery Complex – including a bell, stone inscriptions, frescoes, carpets, and other Azerbaijani cultural heritage items – were illegally showcased. These stolen items were later exhibited in several cities in Italy under the misleading title “Frescoes in Armenian Christian Churches of the 7th–13th Centuries.”

Khudavang, also known as Dedeveng Monastery, is located in the Vang village of Kalbajar. It was built between the 8th and 13th centuries during the reign of the ancient Azerbaijani state of Caucasian Albania, where Christianity was the predominant religion. Khudavang is one of the largest and most well-preserved examples of Azerbaijan’s Christian heritage. Numerous construction inscriptions have survived in the monastery, featuring names such as Arzu, Tursun, Seyti, Hasan, Avag, Shams, Altun, Aghbuh, and Garagoz, which reflect the Turkic identity of its builders.

Azerbaijan restored its sovereign rights over Kalbajar on November 25, 2020, after Armenia withdrew its forces from the region under the tripartite ceasefire statement signed by Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia, which ended the 44-day war sparked by Armenia in 2020.