Khinalug

Khinalug or Khinalyg is a municipality and an ancient Caucasian village with origins dating back to the Caucasian Albanian period. It is located high up in the mountains of Quba District, Azerbaijan. The municipality of Khinalug is part of the Quba District and consists of the villages of Khinalug and Galaykhudat. The village was included in the Cultural Landscape of Khinalug People and "Köç Yolu" Transhumance Route UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023.

Location

Khinalug is located southwest of Quba on the Greater Caucasus mountain ridge, which separates the Northern Caucasus in Russia from the South Caucasus. It is the highest, most remote and isolated village in Azerbaijan, as well as one of the highest in the entire Caucasus region. The village experiences significant weather fluctuations between summer and winter, with temperatures ranging from −20 °C to 18 °C. Khinalug has a population of about 2,000 people. The residents speak Khinalug, a language that is an isolate within the Northeast Caucasian language family, although most also speak Azerbaijani.

History

On 7 October 2006, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, announced plans to modernize Khinalug's educational institutions, infrastructure, government buildings, and other local facilities.
In 2007, President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree establishing the Khinalug State Historical-Architectural and Ethnographic Reserve to protect the village's unique architecture, language, and cultural traditions.
In 2008, Khinalug was included on the World Monuments Fund's Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites due to concerns over the construction of a road connecting Khinalug and Quba. The listing is not intended to discourage tourism or commercial development, but to highlight the importance of ensuring that any new projects do not compromise the village’s historical and cultural character.
In 2011, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism restored the roofs of nearly one hundred houses in Khinalug, and between 2012 and 2014, the village's 9th-century mosque was also restored. The village of Khinalug and the surrounding "Köç Yolu" Transhumance Route landscape were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site during the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
Historian Bettany Hughes drew a connection between the women of Khinalug and ancient accounts of the Amazons, the legendary warrior women said to live at the edge of the known world.

Architecture

The local houses are supported by columns positioned in the center of the room. The houses typically contain no furniture; instead, they are filled with pillows, blankets, and mutakkah, as well as mattresses of various sizes. By custom, there are no tables, and inhabitants sit on the floor.
Khinalug village was included in the "List of World Significant Immovable Historical and Cultural Monuments" by Decision No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, dated August 2, 2001. In this list, the monument is recorded under inventory number 9.

Name	Category	Type	Significance	Date	Inventory Number
Khinalug village	Village	Architecture	World significance	17th-19th centuries	9
Tower	Tower	Architecture	National significance	1537	301
Abdullayev's residential house	Residential house	Architecture	Local significance	19th century	4614
Zoroastrian temple	Temple	Architecture	Local significance	19th century	4647
Mosque	Mosque	Architecture	Local significance	19th century	4648
Mosque	Mosque	Architecture	Local significance	19th century	4650
Mosque	Mosque	Architecture	Local significance	19th century	4651
Sheikh Shalbuz Mosque	Mosque	Architecture	Local significance	19th century	4649

Culture and customs

The lifestyle of the present-day Khinalug residents has remained largely unchanged since ancient times. The region is rich in traditions related to rain, agriculture, and a special reverence for domestic animals and celestial bodies. Weddings and other ceremonies in Khinalug are carried out in strict adherence to rites passed down through generations.
The villagers primarily engage in sheep breeding and weaving. The residents of Khinalug are known for producing the chukha, a woolen shawl, which in the past was a national costume worn by the wealthier people in the villages. Wool socks, resembling mini carpets in various colors, are commonly worn in Khinalug due to the harsh winters. Another key activity of the local people is collection of medicinal herbs. August in Khinalug marks the start of honey season, known for its unique taste and aroma.
In Khinalug, households use fuel made from manure, typically stored in piles of cubes or bricks known as tezek in Azerbaijani. This type of bio-fuel was once widely used throughout Azerbaijan. The manure is gathered, mixed with hay, shaped into specific forms, and then pressed. The resulting bricks are dried in the sun and arranged in stacks.

Ethnic background

The Khinalug people, the primary and indigenous inhabitants of Khinalug, have lived in the Caucasus for thousands of years, maintaining their language, customs, and traditions throughout the ages. They are part of the Shahdag ethnic group and are considered native Azerbaijanis. Historically, the Khinalug people are descendants of the ancient populations of Caucasian Albania, which is now part of modern-day Azerbaijan.
They are thought to be among the 26 tribes of Caucasian Albania that the Greek geographer Strabo mentioned in his work Geography.
Eight ancient graveyards surround the village, spanning an area several times larger than the village itself. Most of the graves contain three or four layers of burials. The tombstones feature inscriptions in various alphabets. In the 10th century, to defend against nomadic tribes, Khinalug was fortified with special defense structures, including a fortress. The main watchtower housed the Zoroastrian temple. Local elders recount that the priest who lived in this temple was named "Pirjomard" and that he tended to an eternal flame that burned there.

Language

The Khinalug people speak a distinct language that is considered a language isolate within the Northeast Caucasian language family. While it may share some affinities with the Lezgic languages, a definitive relationship has not been established. The earliest known description of the Khinalug language appears in the writings of Roderich von Erckert. In his 1895 German-language book Die Sprachen des kaukasischen Stammes, published in Vienna, Erckert provides an overview of the language’s grammar and phraseology. In the 20th century, a special branch of the Institute of Linguistics of the USSR was established in Khinalug village to study the Khinalug language. Linguists working there developed a complete alphabet for the language, using a Latin-based script consisting of seventy-two letters.
The people of Khinalug call their village Ketsh, themselves Kettid, and their language Ketshmits. The name Khinalug came into use during the 1950s and 1960s. The name is believed to originate either from the henna-colored rocks in the area or from the name of a Hun tribe.

Religion

The population of the village practices Shafi'i Sunni Islam. The people of Khinalug are deeply religious, and before embracing Islam, they were followers of Zoroastrianism. Today, the village is home to nearly ten mosques. In the 12th century, Abu Muslim began preaching Islam in the region, and the Juma Mosque, named in his honor, was built during that time. Located on a hill in the center of the village, it is considered the forerunner of all other local mosques. Two rocks, each about two meters high, stand to the right of the mosque's entrance and bear runic inscriptions. Another mosque in the village, called Pirjomard, has a plaque on its wall indicating it was built in 1388 AD.
In the oldest part of the village, which contains Zoroastrian traces, stands the Burj sanctuary. Built in the 7th century, it is only visited during Muslim religious celebrations.
Khinalug is surrounded by caves, pirs, temples and ateshgahs. Pirs can be seen everywhere. Each of them has a grave where a holy person - the yevliya - is interred. Almost every pir has a scene, depicted on its wall, of Ibrahim bringing his son Ismail for sacrifice. The most famous pir of this village is called Khydyr Nabi. This actually is 'a burning' mountain, situated at 2600 meters above sea level and five kilometers away from Khinalug. This mountainous territory is rich with natural gas deposits. According to the local inhabitants, there are more such places in the outskirts of Khinalug. Well polished rocks engulfed in flames, as well as pebbles scattered all over, create an impression of a fallen tower. Those who come here not to pray, but to have a picnic, like cooking kebabs right on these stones, and then, to sunbathe under the sun's rays, whilst looking at the beauty of the highlands. A horse ride from Khinalug to Ateshgah takes thirty minutes, whereas on foot it can take up to two or three hours. The legend about Ateshgah relates that a shepherd, who came here on a freezing day with his flock, had collected a lot of wood with which to make a bonfire. However, as he made it, the entire area was suddenly ablaze: the terrified shepherd kissed the stones and started to pray to the Almighty. Since that time, the flame has never gone out, and the place is considered as holy, and subsequently became a Temple. Indeed, it may be understood from these places why Azerbaijan is known as "the Land of Fire". Both water and earth burn with fire throughout the region.
To explore the history of Khinalug and its ancient artifacts, visitors can tour the Historical-ethnographic museum of Khinalug village, established in 2001. The museum, covering a total area of 160 m², features two sections showcasing traditional earthenware, clothing, carpets, household tools, coins, weapons, and photographs of notable figures from the village.

Name	Area	Capacity	Built by	Construction Date
Ali Muslim or Pir Jomard Mosque	192	192	Built by Arabs	Year 980 or 12th century
Abu Muslim Mosque	340	340	Arab commander Abu Muslim	11th century
Sheikh Shalbuz Mosque	72	72	Sheikh Shalbuz	16th century
Sheikh Israfil Baba Mosque	72	72	Built by local people	16th century
Khidr Nabi Mosque	96	96	Built by local people	15th century
Mohuj Baba Mosque	32	32	Built by local people	15th century
Neighborhood Mosque	72	72	Built by local people	18th century