Absheron's stone roads
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| Absheron's stone roads | |
|---|---|
| Native name Abşeronun daş yolları (Azerbaijani) | |
.jpg) Roads recorded by Faig Nasibov | |
| Type | stone roads |
| Location | Absheron Peninsula, Azerbaijan |
Absheron's stone roads, or cart ruts of Absheron, are situated around the towns of Turkan, Hovsan, Nardaran, Dubandi, Qala, and Surakhani on the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan.
Throughout history, historians like Abbasgulu agha Bakikhanov and Sara Ashurbeyli have written about these roads.
Determination of the purpose of discovered stone roads in the world remains a mystery for the world. Researchers have put forward various versions regarding this matter. In international scientific sources, these stone roads are mentioned as "stone car roads." However, based on certain parameters of these stone roads, including the number of grooves, depth, and width, it appears they might not be suitable for carriage wheels. In some places, the depth of these stone roads even reaches half a meter. Additionally, there are various theories regarding the time these stone roads were constructed.[1]
In the 20th century, stone roads were discovered in the "Kurgan Desert" located between Hovsan and Turkan, later extending around Dubandi, Gala, and Surakhani. It is said that previously, there were several such roads in the Cascade Park behind the Cabinet of Ministers in Baku.[1][2]
The stone roads in Absheron pass through areas close to ancient graves and temples, similar to ancient stone roads found around the Mediterranean and the Arabian Sea. The stone roads around Turkan pass near mounds dating back to the 3rd–2nd millennia BCE and areas where ancient settlements existed. The stone roads in Dubandi extend towards the Pirallahi Island. Similarly, close to the Nardaran shrine and the Bibiheybat pilgrimage site, these stone roads can also be found. Only remnants of stone roads can be traced near the Maiden Tower.[3]
One significant similarity between the roads in Malta and Absheron is that both extend towards the sea. Some parts of the stone roads on the islands and shores of the Arabian Sea extend towards the sea, remaining underwater and continuing at considerable depths beneath the sea surface. This indicates that these stone roads were created during a period when the sea and ocean levels were much lower.[3] Furthermore, the resemblance and the alignment of the roads situated both in the Arabian Sea and the Caspian Sea suggest that they were created around the same era. Researchers in Malta have noted that the roads there were created in the 5th to 4th millennia BCE.[1][4]