Administrative Department of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan P R E S I D E N T I A L L I B R A R Y CULTURE OF AZERBAIJAN CONTENTS I. GENERAL INFORMATION............................................................................................................. 3 II. MATERIAL CULTURE ................................................................................................................... 5 III. MUSIC, NATIONAL MUSIC INSTRUMENTS .......................................................................... 7 Musical instruments ............................................................................................................................... 7 Performing Arts ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Percussion instruments ........................................................................................................................... 9 Wind instruments .................................................................................................................................. 12 Mugham as a national music of Azerbaijan ...................................................................................... 25 IV. FOLKLORE SONGS ..................................................................................................................... 26 Ashiqs of Azerbaijan ............................................................................................................................ 27 V. THEATRE, OPERA AND BALLET ............................................................................................. 33 Theatre in Azerbaijan .......................................................................................................................... 33 Opera in Azerbaijan ............................................................................................................................ 37 Ballet in Azerbaijan ............................................................................................................................. 39 VI. CINEMA.......................................................................................................................................... 40 The history of the film industry in Azerbaijan. Silent films (1920-1935) ........................................ 40 Azerbaijani cinema in 1935-1988. Sound films ................................................................................. 42 Azerbaijani cinematography in period of independence .................................................................. 48 VII. DECORATIVE ART .................................................................................................................... 50 Pottery ................................................................................................................................................... 50 Jewellery ............................................................................................................................................... 52 Copper-smithing ................................................................................................................................... 55 Armour-making ................................................................................................................................... 59 Decorative needlework ........................................................................................................................ 62 National clothes of Azerbaijan ............................................................................................................ 65 From the history of Azerbaijani clothing ........................................................................................... 72 VIII. CARPETS .................................................................................................................................... 76 The Development of Carpet Weaving in Azerbaijan ........................................................................ 78 IX. FINE ARTS ..................................................................................................................................... 83 The development of the fine arts in ancient times and Middle Ages ............................................... 85 The development of fine arts in XIX century and first half of XX century .................................... 87 Fine arts in the second half of XX century ........................................................................................ 89 Azerbaijani miniatures ........................................................................................................................ 93 Azerbaijani art in the world museums ............................................................................................... 96 X. ARCHITECTURE, MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES ........................................................................... 103 Architecture ........................................................................................................................................ 103 The history, development and models of stone carvings ................................................................ 105 Museums ............................................................................................................................................. 107 Libraries .............................................................................................................................................. 112 XI. NATIONAL TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS OF AZERBAIJANI PEOPLE ...................... 113 Art of dancing in Azerbaijan. ........................................................................................................... 113 National folklore ................................................................................................................................. 115 Novruz Bayram .................................................................................................................................. 117 The Azerbaijani wedding .................................................................................................................. 124 Fortune telling in Azerbaijan ............................................................................................................ 130 Azerbaijan Childbirth Traditions .................................................................................................... 131 Azerbaijani Traditions of Hospitality .............................................................................................. 132 Azerbaijani Legends .......................................................................................................................... 138 Traditional Wrestling - Gulesh ......................................................................................................... 140 XII. NATIONAL CUISINE OF AZERBAIJAN .............................................................................. 141 Administrative Department of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan P R E S I D E N T I A L L I B R A R Y Azerbaijani cuisine history ................................................................................................................ 148 Our National kitchen ......................................................................................................................... 152 Diversity of the meals in the Azerbaijani cuisine ............................................................................ 154 Factors that have had influence on the emergence and development of the Azerbaijani cuisine .............................................................................................................................................................. 157 Diversity of drinks in the Azerbaijani cuisine ................................................................................. 160 Regularities of the emergence of the meal names in the Azerbaijani language............................ 161 Travellers about Azerbaijani cuisine ............................................................................................... 162 XIII. TOURISM IN AZERBAIJAN.................................................................................................. 164 Brief information on Azerbaijani tourism. ...................................................................................... 164 Tourism-related projects and events ................................................................................................ 169 Baku-Khachmaz .................................................................................................................................. 172 Baku-Gobustan ................................................................................................................................... 177 Baku-Astara......................................................................................................................................... 181 Baku-Gazakh ....................................................................................................................................... 185 Baku-Balaken ...................................................................................................................................... 191 Baku-Nakhchivan ............................................................................................................................... 198 Baku-Shusha ......................................................................................................................................