Revista Argentina de Clínica Psicológica 2021, Vol. XXX, N°2, 164-177 164 DOI: 10.24205/03276716.2020.4016 AZERBAIJAN’S SILK INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Faig Aghabalayeva, Wang Siminga Abstract Objective: With over 2,000 years of history, Azerbaijan has been regarded as one of the world's best silk centers. With the increasing demand for environmental- friendly products in the modern era, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the historical significance of Azerbaijan's silk industry, as well as to investigate the historical background of silkworm and silk production, and their impact on Azerbaijan's economic performance, and to establish a link between silk production and Azerbaijan's economic performance. Methodology: The data was collected descriptive statistics from a variety of sources, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, World Bank, 2018, State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Saltanat Zulfugarova and Tom Marsden, by highlighting the important trends in data. Tables, graphs, and charts have been used to present the results of descriptive statistics. Findings: Azerbaijan needs to resurrect its once-thriving textile, silk, and apparel industries. Azerbaijan's climate helps in the high productivity of agricultural production and farming in all parts of the country. In terms of policy recommendations, the study emphasizes the need for deep manufacturing of silk products, as well as the expansion of domestic production of specialized silk products that needed in electrical engineering, radio engineering, cinematography, aerospace, astronautics, precision system, and cable production, healthcare, and other fields. Implication: Furthermore, this research focuses on the regions where the majority of the silk is produced. The report makes policy recommendations based on the current situation and challenges of Azerbaijan's silk industry. Keywords: silk industry; historical perspective; sericulture; Azerbaijan; silk products, silkworm breeding, silkworm farming Introduction importance of the silk industry of Azerbaijan and Silk is the key input used in the textile industry since explores the historical background of silkworm and ancient times. Due to its specific properties, silk is silk production and their impact on Azerbaijan’s considered an important source in the textile economic performance. Hence, this study aims to industry. It is widely recognized that silk farming establish a link between silk production and the (sericulture) was established for low-scale forming economic performance of Azerbaijan. Moreover, and its use in large-scale farming has failed in this study highlights the area where the main silk different parts of the world. Population density, production takes place. The paper further explores wages, and availability of the labor force are the current situation and challenges of Azerbaijan’s important factors in affecting sericulture growth. silk industry. The study recommends policies for the The cycle of sericulture starts from nourishing the future development of the silk industry. silkworm and ends with receiving cocoons and seeds. Since ancient times, silk production is labor- Limitation of the Study consuming and profitable at the same time due to The main limitations of this research are as its easy accessibility. Hence, due to its high payoffs, follow: the majority of local businessmen were involved in • The lack of an appropriate sample size for the silk business. Hence, in the Caucasian region, descriptive statistical research. silk was considered a profitable exportable • There were limited previous research studies on commodity (Gugushvili, 1959). the subject. This paper aims to examine the historical • Data access was limited. REVISTA ARGENTINA 2021, Vol. XXX, N°2, 164-177 DE CLÍNICA PSICOLÓGICA 165 Faig Aghabalayev, Wang Siming • There were time constraints. reestablished in the Baskal town of Ismayilli. The • Conflicts arising from ethnic bias and other whole chain of this work concentrated on the personal problems. custom of hand-made silk items. The Kelaghayi is listed as the intangible cultural heritage of Literature Review Azerbaijan by UNESCO b Azerbaijani silk industry has its roots since ancient times. The industry has gained worldwide appreciation since the 5th to 7th centuries and till the end of the 19th century. Silks were the main export item of Azerbaijan and other South Caucasian countries to the world. The silk business got huge advancement in the 9th and 10th hundreds of years A.D. Due to its geographical location, the silk forming in Azerbaijan received Pic.1. Traditional art and symbolism of Kelaghayi more importance. Azerbaijan is located on the main Source: M. Rahimov / Ministry of Culture and route of the silk road between Europe and Asia. The Tourism of Azerbaijan Republic (2010). areas of Shemakha, Barda, Sheki, and Ganja were the epicenter of silk manufacturing activity. Silk Shamakhi, Ganja, Ordubad assumed a significant exchanging business sector especially in Sheki and part in silk-producing in Azerbaijan during the 9th to Shemakha, have worldwide effects, notably in the 18th centuries. Found straightforwardly on Great business field. Due to the availability of silk at Silk Way, every year 100 thousand puds crude silk premium costs, businessmen from different regions was sent out from Shamakhi to Russia, Iran, such as South Asia, Central Asia, and some parts of Ottoman Empire, Italy, France, India, and different Europe were the main importers of Silk produced in nations through Baku. Another significant parade Shemakha. Due to the most volatile activities, Sheki course went through Shamakhi, Aresh, and Ganja and Shemakha were considered the biggest silk- to Tbilisi. Sheki was found somewhat away and silk delivering center in the Caucasus region. These case exchange was brought out through a little later cities were famous for silk farming (sericulture). archaic town of Aresh (Aliyarov, 1996). Sericulture, being a low capital intensive agro- The decline of travel exchange in the 17th based industry, several commercial species of century brought about the deterioration of the silkworms were imported by different nations town of Aresh and afterward shippers themselves across the globe. Bombyx mori was the most started to go to Sheki and fare casings to various famous among different silkworms’ species nations. Solid Sheki khanate subjecting the (Shakhmaliev, 1958). The products made of silk neighbor domains, and having created horticulture, such as sensitive textures, garments, and craftsmanship, and silk cocoon creation drew an traditional women's headgear known as Kelaghayi ever-increasing number of dealers. The city was made by Sheki’s experts from crude silk were adjusted for economic accords. There started to exported to different regions of the World. Hence, build caravansaries, little shops, bazaars and the Sheki was famous for its huge contributions to the private populace started to join in the merchants. worlds of sericulture and commercial species of Cover creation was restricted to casing rising and silkworms (Avdeev, 1926). Till the end of the 19th offer of crude silk that didn't need uncommon century, silk territories were built to produce developments for this reason. traditional silk products. However, after the Toward the end of the 18th century East India collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the industries Company, cornering the Iranian silk market lost its were shut down and a recession was observed in interest in Azerbaijani silk that normally caused the silk industry of Azerbaijan. During the fortifying of the monetary situation of Russia in this transformation crisis, the traditional sericulture locale. Exchange relations of Sheki khanate with industry of Azerbaijan was on the edge of Russia, the fundamental buyer of silk, were brought destruction. Nevertheless, in recent times, several out predominantly via land through Kizlyar and initiatives have been taken place for the revival of Derbent. In the principal half of the 19th-century the traditional silk industry in Azerbaijan. The silk Tsarist government, particularly the Russian industry is expected to make a fresh start (Aliyev, bourgeoisie was firmly keen on utilizing crude 2019). For instance, the Museum of silk waving was material assets. It was identified with the way that, silkworms in Western European nations contracted Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in Azerbaijan. REVISTA ARGENTINA 2021, Vol. XXX, N°2, 164-177 DE CLÍNICA PSICOLÓGICA 166 Faig Aghabalayev, Wang Siming an ailment and the Russian silk industry felt the Azerbaijan. Steps were taken to create new intense need for crude silk (Abdullaev, 1965). industrial centers. In February 1922, the Fourth Transcaucasia nearly was not influenced by this Congress of the AKP discussed the creation of new illness. In this way, the Tsarist government took a industrial centers in Azerbaijan and decided that set of measures for additional improvement of the industrialization of Azerbaijan should begin sericulture in the Russian Empire just as in with Nukhi, Ganja, the Karabakh region, and Azerbaijan. For this reason, numerous Tsarist Mugan. In these places, it was necessary to start the officials were shipped off Azerbaijan to consider equipment of factories and plants to get raw utilization expandability of crude material assets materials. Congress paid special attention to the which