Azerbaijani Archaeologists Begin Excavating Ancient Kharkhar Necropolis

Jerusalem, 21 July, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Baku (AZERTAC) – The Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences has begun archaeological excavations at the necropolis of the same name located in the village of Kharkhar, Gadabay region, under a joint agreement signed between the Azerbaijan International Mining Company (AIMC).

AZERTAC was informed about this by the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology.

The head of the archaeological expedition is Associate Professor Shamil Najafov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of ANAS. The location of the Kharkhar necropolis was first determined in 2012 by the late archaeologist Goshgar Goshgarly during the registration of archaeological monuments of the Albanian period in the Shamkir and Gadabay regions based on information provided by the local population, an initial archaeological survey of the area was conducted, observations were made, and the characteristics of the monument were determined.

The first substantial research based on archaeological reconnaissance work in the necropolis was conducted in 2023 by the head of the Gadabay archaeological expedition, Tukezban Goyushova, the area occupied by the necropolis was determined, some of the graves were photographed, the perimeter coordinates of the area where the monument is located were taken, and the information collected about this was included in the author’s scientific report.

The Kharxar necropolis is located in the Kharxar village of the Gadabay region, on the high left bank of a small mountain tributary of the Kharxarchay river, on a flat, slightly sloping hill that slopes down from a high mountain peak to the river valley.

According to Shamil Najafov, the area of ​​the necropolis is slightly more than 1 hectare. Initial observations suggest that the borders of the necropolis once covered a wider area. This idea is also proven by the discovery of identical tombstones found in the immediate vicinity, especially in agricultural areas.In addition, some graves have been destroyed as a result of the erosion and washing away of the soil of the steep mountain slope by rain and flood waters on the eastern border of the necropolis.

During initial observations in the necropolis, the presence of up to 130 grave monuments with known surface signs was recorded. Some of the graves are accompanied by vertically buried head and foot stones, and chest stones extended in the southwest-northeast direction over the grave chambers. The number of graves accompanied only by chest stones is greater. The graves are densely built and non-standard sizes of the tombstones are observed. The head and chest stones are approximately 2-2.5 meters long, 50-80 centimeters thick, and weigh from 200-300 kilograms to 1 ton.

It is likely that such heavy tombstones were brought to the cemetery with special technology at the time and used in funeral ceremonies.