Old maps show Azerbaijan spans beyond its borders
Historical maps found in an Egyptian library show
the territory of Azerbaijan extending beyond its current borders,
according to the Institute of Oriental Studies of Azerbaijan's
National Academy of Sciences.
The Institute director, MP Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, who visited Egypt last December, found five historical maps which are important for Azerbaijani history in the Cairo-based Dar Al-Kutub Library, Egypt’s largest library. The maps show Armenia located much further south than its present territory. Bakhshaliyeva brought copies of the maps back to Azerbaijan.
The Dar Al-Kutub library houses a collection of over 15,000 maps. One of the five maps found by Bakhshaliyeva was published by A. Tarid on the St. Denis Boulevard in the early last century. It was drawn up to show the railways and navigation routes in Europe and Asia. The territory of the state on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, presented as Azerbaijan on the map, matches the territory of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920). The disputed territories are also presented as Azerbaijani territory on the map. The map confirms that Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, including Shusha, belongs to Azerbaijan and also shows Derbent and Gasimkend, now in Russia's Daghestan, as Azerbaijani territory.
The maps, published in Europe and Asia, cover various stages in history. They indicate that Western scholars and cartographers were well informed about Azerbaijan's territory and show Armenia far to the south of its present-day territory. On the maps Azerbaijan's western border crosses Goyce Lake, known to the Armenians as Lake Sevan. The regions of Mehri, Gafan, Gorus, Sisyan, Vardenis and Krasnoselsk in present-day Armenia, as well as a part of the Berd region, are shown as Azerbaijani territory.
Another map shows Iran's territory after the Gulustan and Turkmenchay treaties, which divided Azerbaijan between Iran and the Russian Empire. The map was drawn up in the Persian language and the placename Azerbaijan is shown on the territory from the Araz River to the borders of modern Iraq. The map shows Ahar, Marand, Savalan Mountain, Lake Urmia, the cities of Maraga, Mahabad, Maku, Khoy, Ardabil, Miyana, Tabriz and others to be located in Azerbaijan.
The third map was drawn up in 1785 in Venice. The map, named "Empire of Alexander the Great", covers Europe, Africa and Asia. The map was drawn up by Italian Antonio Zatta and his sons. Here, Caucasian Albania is shown on the western coast of the Caspian. The Araz River is in the south. On the map, Armenia is shown not as a state, but only as a geographic territory south of the Araz River, in the neighborhood of Assyria and Mesopotamia.
The next two maps were drawn up in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, during the rule of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet III (1595-1603). One map was drawn up and printed by the artist Friedrich De Wit in 1775. The maps show Armenian territories far to the south of their present location and bearing no relation to the territory of modern Armenia.
These maps show that Upper Garabagh has always been considered Azerbaijani territory by scholars in both the West and the East.*
The Institute director, MP Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, who visited Egypt last December, found five historical maps which are important for Azerbaijani history in the Cairo-based Dar Al-Kutub Library, Egypt’s largest library. The maps show Armenia located much further south than its present territory. Bakhshaliyeva brought copies of the maps back to Azerbaijan.
The Dar Al-Kutub library houses a collection of over 15,000 maps. One of the five maps found by Bakhshaliyeva was published by A. Tarid on the St. Denis Boulevard in the early last century. It was drawn up to show the railways and navigation routes in Europe and Asia. The territory of the state on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, presented as Azerbaijan on the map, matches the territory of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920). The disputed territories are also presented as Azerbaijani territory on the map. The map confirms that Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, including Shusha, belongs to Azerbaijan and also shows Derbent and Gasimkend, now in Russia's Daghestan, as Azerbaijani territory.
The maps, published in Europe and Asia, cover various stages in history. They indicate that Western scholars and cartographers were well informed about Azerbaijan's territory and show Armenia far to the south of its present-day territory. On the maps Azerbaijan's western border crosses Goyce Lake, known to the Armenians as Lake Sevan. The regions of Mehri, Gafan, Gorus, Sisyan, Vardenis and Krasnoselsk in present-day Armenia, as well as a part of the Berd region, are shown as Azerbaijani territory.
Another map shows Iran's territory after the Gulustan and Turkmenchay treaties, which divided Azerbaijan between Iran and the Russian Empire. The map was drawn up in the Persian language and the placename Azerbaijan is shown on the territory from the Araz River to the borders of modern Iraq. The map shows Ahar, Marand, Savalan Mountain, Lake Urmia, the cities of Maraga, Mahabad, Maku, Khoy, Ardabil, Miyana, Tabriz and others to be located in Azerbaijan.
The third map was drawn up in 1785 in Venice. The map, named "Empire of Alexander the Great", covers Europe, Africa and Asia. The map was drawn up by Italian Antonio Zatta and his sons. Here, Caucasian Albania is shown on the western coast of the Caspian. The Araz River is in the south. On the map, Armenia is shown not as a state, but only as a geographic territory south of the Araz River, in the neighborhood of Assyria and Mesopotamia.
The next two maps were drawn up in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, during the rule of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet III (1595-1603). One map was drawn up and printed by the artist Friedrich De Wit in 1775. The maps show Armenian territories far to the south of their present location and bearing no relation to the territory of modern Armenia.
These maps show that Upper Garabagh has always been considered Azerbaijani territory by scholars in both the West and the East.*
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