MEDIEVAL CITIES OF NAKHCHIVAN AFTER THE MONGOL CONQUESTS

Abstract

After the invasion of the Mongols at the beginning of the XIII century, urban life in the Nakhchivan region declined. Only by the beginning of the XIV century, the economy gradually recovered in some cities, trade relations were established, and large settlements progressively turned into new cities. One of such young cities in Nakhchivan was the city of Aza, which existed for just over three centuries. At the end of the XVI century, during the Ottoman-Safavid wars, Aza was destroyed and lost the status of a city. Nowadays, the material culture of the city of Aza is represented by memorial and public buildings. The remains of the defensive walls of the citadel and a small part of the residential quarters of the city are preserved on the gentle slope of the Rus Tepesi Mountain. Archaeological research has made it possible to study the layout of the city, architectural features and craft production.