Azerbaijani nomadic life- refers to the historical and contemporary practice of individuals or groups living a nomadic (tərəkəmə) or semi-nomadic (elat) lifestyle within the cultural environment of Azerbaijan, along with its historical, cultural, and customary aspects. Temporary dwellings used by nomads in Azerbaijan include various types such as "oba, shenlik, sığırxana, yataq, binə, yurd, düşərgə, qışlaq, dəkkə, dəngə, yaylaq, etc". During the summer season, nomadic homes such as "alaçıq, coma, dəyə, muxuru, qarakeçə, dünnüklü ev, kolux, mağardəyə, etc.," are used.
In 2023, the cultural environment of nomadic life and the migration route in Azerbaijan were recognized as part of the World Heritage.
Terminology Elat: An Arabic-origin term used to describe nomadic peoples, many of whom are of Turkic descent, predominantly in Iran and Azerbaijan.Иля́ты. Иля́ты // Советская историческая энциклопедия : в 16 т. / под ред. Е. М. Жукова. — М. : Советская энциклопедия, 1961—1976.Илят // Энциклопедический словарь Брокгауза и Ефрона : в 86 т. (82 т. и 4 доп.). — СПб., 1890—1907. Tərəkəmə: Used in the 19th to early 20th centuries to refer to nomadic lifestyle, specifically among the Turkic peoples of Azerbaijan. In modern times, this term is used for tribes (tərəkəmələr, qarapapaqlar).Гаджиева С. Ш. Дагестанские терекеменцы: XIX — начало XX в. — Наука, 1990. — 9785020167612. səh 3.Волкова Н. Г. Этнонимия в трудах экономического обследования Кавказа 1880-х годов // Имя и этнос: общие вопросы ономастики, этнонимия, антропонимия, теонимия, топонимия: сборник. — М.: Ин-т этнологии и антропологии, 1996. — С. 26–27. — Tat: In its first meaning, used to refer to non-Turkic-speaking populations (Tats) in and outside Iranian Azerbaijan. In its second meaning, used to describe Turkic-speaking populations leading settled lives not affiliated with any tribe, observed only in Iranian Azerbaijan.R. Tapper. AZERBAIJAN vi. Population and its Occupations and Culture // ENCYCLOPÆDIA IRANICA. — 1988. — С. 234–238.
Physical and human geography
Plains
In Azerbaijan, as in other Turkic-speaking regions, highland pastures used for nomadic animal husbandry are called "yaylaq." Many of these yaylaqs are located at an altitude of up to 2800 meters above sea level. The ancient yaylaqs where sheep grazed were traditionally situated in the alpine and subalpine meadows of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus mountains.Бунятов Т. А. Из истории хозяйства в древнем Азербайджане // КСИИМК. — М., 1957. — Вып. 67. — С. 37. Yaylaq husbandry, known as a profession, emerged during the Early Bronze Age in the Transcaucasian region, particularly in modern Azerbaijan, and had formed by the early millennia BCE.
Yaylaq husbandry was primarily practiced by the population owning pasture lands in mountainous regions. Evidence of this can be seen in the form of cyclopean, sturdy stone structures built for seasonal habitation and defense against sudden attacks from neighboring tribes. Similar constructions to those inhabited by individuals engaged in animal husbandry during the Late Bronze Age can often be found in the yaylaqs of the Lesser Caucasus, such as Xaçbulaq, Kalbajar, Gadabay, Laçın, Batabat, as well as in the Ordubad mountains.Алиев В. Г. Культура эпохи средней бронзы Азербайджана. — Б.: Элм, 1991. — С. 133. Yaylaqs in Azerbaijan were extensively utilized until the 1980s.
Comparing archaeological data with the ethnography of Azerbaijan allows us to form an understanding of the nomadic migration pattern and the lifestyle in the yaylaq during ancient times. The population would gather their belongings onto carts and move along with their herds. Upon reaching the designated stop where the road turned into tracks, the property would be unloaded from the carts and loaded onto pack animals. According to historian Teymur Bunyadov, such movements to the yaylaq were already present during the Bronze Age.
The main reason for the settlement of Turks in Azerbaijan was the abundance of pastures, vineyards, and orchards, along with favorable conditions for animal husbandry. As a result, Azerbaijan and the region of Iraqi Azerbaijan became yaylaqs and qışlaqs for two million nomads.Мамед-заде К. М. Строительное искусство Азербайджана (с древнейших времён до XIX века) / Научный редактор aкадемик АН Азерб. ССР А. В. Саламзаде. — Б.: Элм, 1983.
Historical migration routes
The nomadic routes of the Western region of Azerbaijan began with crossings over the Kura River and continued along the flatlands, switching to mountain trails upon reaching the yaylaqs. Since the Western region's nomadic routes crossed the Kura River, livestock and sheep were ferried across the river using small boats, hence the presence of sailors on the river. The winter quarters of the Western region were located in Garayazi and Jeyranchol, while the summer pastures were in the Shahdag and Murguz ranges. By the late 19th century, the main roads used by the nomads of Gazakh and Elisabethpol districts were primarily Yasamal, Zeyem Valley, Kiran, Sari Yoxush, Qosha Deyirman roads, the road leading to Qizilbulaq yaylaq, and Zada roads. Villagers in the Western region who used the yaylaqs (Poylu, Salahli, Kesaman, and Qarabagli) independently moved via the Jeyranchol-Qedili pass, Annefeld, the German colony, to Morul village, and from there to the yaylaqs via the Yasamal road. In the Shusha district, there were two nomadic routes: along the Kura River, through the Asgeran Valley to Qirqqiz yaylaq, and the road from Khachin to Aylishli, Shusha village, and Kirs mountain. The inhabitants of Javanshir district also used the latter route.István Vásáry. The role and function of Mongolian and Turkic in Ilkhanid Iran // Turcologia.
The migration routes of the Shirvan nomads extended from the Küdru winter quarters to the Great Caucasus summer pastures. The directions of these nomadic routes are as follows: Hərmidağ—Paşalı—Udulu—Yavannı mountain—Mərəzə—Hilmilli—Dibrar, Girdə-Pirsaat valley—Təsi village—Sündüqozlu river—Dibrar, Kələqaya (Döymə road)—Ləngəbiz—Çarhan—Mərzəndigə—Kurdamir—Astraxanka—Sarıdaş yaylaq (Dibrar), Gödəkambarə winter quarters—Kolanı—Göylər—Ortabulaq valley—Shamakhi—Pirsaat valley—Çaylı village—Kurdamir—Astraxanka—Dibrar.
The summer pastures for the Mugan nomads were the Savalan, Qaradag, and Talysh mountains. The migration routes to the Savalan pastures included Bilasuvar—Bagrovdag—Agh evlər—Gəlin yurdu—Xatınbulaq—Qaraşiran direction. The Shahseven nomads, especially the Meşkin communities, utilized these routes when migrating to the pastures: Downstream of the Araz river—Xoruzlu mountain range—Bərzəng river, Ziyvə village (Mugan)—Sambur river—Ləngənd—Savalan, Upper reaches of the Qarasu river, Göytəpə-Səfidağ area—Talysh mountains—Çiçəkli mountain range.
History
Modern era
In the 19th to early 20th centuries, the term "terekeme" was used to refer to nomads. A.D. Yeritsov noted that the term "terekeme" was not used to denote a specific ethnicity or tribe; rather, it was attributed to all Azerbaijani Turks. The terekeme (nomadic) tribes recorded in the Gazakh district and other districts included various groups such as Ayrımlı, Bayat, Qədirli, Qaraqoyunlu, Qaraxanlı, Kengerli, Salaxlı, Sofulu, and Tatlı. According to N.A. Abelova, the local population referred to nomadic tribes (such as those in the Goychay and Shamakhi districts) as terekeme or nomads.
Before the emergence of Azerbaijani national identity, inhabitants who led a semi-nomadic lifestyle and preserved patriarchal-tribal relations would identify themselves based on their tribe or ancestral affiliation (such as Avshars, Tekellers, Kengerlis, Ayrums, etc.).Алекперов А. К. Исследования по археологии и этнографии Азербайджана. — Баку: Изд-во АН Азербайджанской ССР, 1960. — С. 72–73. In Soviet Azerbaijan, there were four nomadic groups (Ayrımlar, Padarlar, Shahsevens, Qarapapaqs).Ямсков, 1998, с. 181 Ayrımlar lived in the western part of Azerbaijan, while Shahsevens resided in the south of Azerbaijan along the Iranian border.James Stuart Olson, Nicholas Charles Pappas. An Ethnohistorical dictionary of the Russian and Soviet empires. — Greenwood Publishing Group, 1994. — С. 60. — 9780313274978.
The fact that the summer pastures of the Saxurs were in Dagestan while their winter quarters were in Azerbaijan contributed to the Saxur-Azerbaijani bilingualism (Saxurs speaking their own language along with Azerbaijani).Magomedkhan Magomedkhanov. Building of the Tower of Babel: Ethnolinguistic Processes in Dagestan. Russian Academy of Sciences, Dagestan Science Centre. page 290–291, 293. Russian-Swedish officer Ivan Gerber noted that the nomadic Arabs residing in Mugan during the winter months spoke in a "mixed Turkic-Arabic language."Richard Tapper. Frontier Nomads of Iran: A Political History of the Shahsevan. Cambridge University Press, 1997; p. 103Abbasqulu ağa Bakıxanov. Gülüstani İrəm . Ziya Bünyadovun tərcüməsində. Bakı: 1991, s. 21
Karabakh conflict In the early 20th century, Zangezur served as a strategic corridor connecting Eastern Transcaucasia, Iravan Province, and Nakhchivan. In 1916, there were 120,000 Muslims and 101,000 Armenians living in the region (except for Azerbaijani shepherds from Karabakh's mountainous regions who migrated to the plains of Zangezur during the summer). A significant portion of Muslims resided in border areas. According to the administrative-territorial reform proposed by the Armenian side, except for the nomads, it was envisaged that 88,000 Armenians and 46,000 Muslims living in central Zangezur would be separated from the other peripheral areas of Zangezur.Hovannisian, 1971, p. 86.
Karabakh nomads were engaged in pastoralism, and their settlements depended on the high mountain pastures of Karabakh's mountainous regions. They traversed to these areas during the summer, crossing through the territories of the local population.Arsene Saparov. From Conflict to Autonomy in the Caucasus: The Soviet Union and the Making of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh. — 2014. — С. 33. — 216 с. — The division of Karabakh's plains and mountainous regions between Azerbaijan and Armenia meant deprivation of the Azerbaijani nomads from summer pastures. The solutions proposed by Armenia—organizing irrigation works in Azerbaijani desert areas, migrating to new pastures in the north of Azerbaijan, or signing a special interstate agreement allowing nomads to use "Armenian" pastures in Karabakh—were not acceptable to Azerbaijan.Hovannisian, 1971, p. 81–82
According to the report of Khosrov bey Sultanov on June 21, 1919, due to Armenian control of mountain passes in Karabakh, the 10,000 Muslim nomads with 150,000 head of livestock could not access summer pastures. Sultanov requested permission from the government to fulfill his duty towards tens of thousands of people.Hovannisian, 1971, p. 194. In 1922, according to the report of Gazanfar Musabekov, due to the Azerbaijan-Armenia war (1918–1920), nomads were unable to use summer pastures, leading to many deaths from malaria among both people and livestock.К истории образования Нагорно-Карабахской Автономной Области Азербайджанской ССР: Документы и материалы. — Баку, 1989. — С. 115–116.
Residential settlements
The temporary residential settlements used by the nomads (semi-nomads) included "oba", "şenlik", "sığırxana", "yataq", "binə", "yurd", "düşərgə", "qışlaq", "dəkkə", "dəngə", "yaylaq", etc. During the establishment of the encampments, the dwellings of the tribal leader or elder (ağsaqqal) were placed in the center, surrounded by close relatives, while in the pastures, the makeshift shelters of the grazing shepherds and humble families were set up.