Remains of 2500-year-old palace unearthed in Azerbaijan

A joint Azerbaijani and German expedition has been carrying out excavations at the Gurbantapa and Derya Yatag sites located near the village of Garacemirli in Shamkir, in western Azerbaijan, beginning in August of this year.

Credit: AzerNews

Investigations at the Gurbantapa site are focused on the remains of palace built in the so-called Amani style of architecture evidently dating from the 5th century BC.

Credit: AzerNews

Emil Isgandarov of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) said that due to the buildings size and condition this palace stands out from similar monuments in the South Caucasus, and was therefore of great scientific significance.

Credit: AzerNews

The archaeological excavations of this palatial complex, which consists of several buildings, began in 2006. This season's work focused on a number of incomplete stone-carved column bases and mud-brick walls.

Credit: AzerNews

The sparsity of artefacts at the site and the fact that the column bases were incomplete suggest that the construction of the palace was never completed, said the press release.

Source: AzerNews [August 29, 2018]