A new book on the history of Caucasian Albania was published in Europe - PHOTO
Caucasian Albania (Aran) was one of the ancient states
on the territory of Azerbaijan, whose rich history and heritage are currently
attracting great interest in European academic and public circles.
The book entitled “A Brief History of Caucasian
Albania” was published in Tirana (Albania) with the support of the Embassy of
the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Republic of Albania. The aim in publication
of this book was to bring this unique heritage to the attention of European
readers. The book is available in Albanian and English. The author is Rizvan
Huseynov, Director of the Center for the Caucasus History and Associate
Professor at the UNESCO Chair.
According to the author, the edition presents for the
first time ancient sources on the history of Caucasian Albania, as well as
research by medieval European scholars. Publication of the book in Albania
itself holds great symbolic significance. This country has many links to the
heritage and history of Azerbaijan and Caucasian Albania. The book draws
parallels and comparisons connecting the historical and cultural heritage of
Caucasian Albania with the heritage of some European countries.
The work has already been distributed to a number of
state institutions, universities, bookshops and research centers. The
presentation of the book “A Brief History of Caucasian Albania” is planned for
this autumn in Tirana with the support of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Albania.
Rizvan Huseynov, Director of the Center for the
Caucasus History, informed that the book is planned to be published also in
English and Russian.
Rizvan Huseynov. "Njё histori e shkurtёr e Albanisё sё Kaukazit. A brief history of Caucasian Albania". Tirana, Publishing House "Fan Noli" - 2026, 193 p, ISBN 978-9928-813-61-9
Rizvan Huseynov’s book, “A Brief History of Caucasian Albania,” offers a robust methodological framework for the multi-disciplinary assessment of endangered cultural property in the South Caucasus. Uniting classical historiography with recent epigraphic and linguistic milestones — such as the 1996 discovery of the Sinai Albanian Palimpsest — the study provides an empirical model to minimise long-standing ideological distortions. For international monitoring initiatives, this work establishes a rigorous academic precedent which allows to trace how institutional, administrative, and geopolitical shifts can systematically alter or erase the authentic ethno-confessional identity of historical monuments.
Rizvan Huseynov’s research on the history and architecture of Caucasian Albania (Aran) goes beyond traditional historiography, serving as a critical methodological framework for institutional risk assessment and the documentation of cultural property under threat. The primary academic value of this study lies in its objective reconstruction of regional identity, effectively isolating the historical pattern of the South Caucasus from the overlapping politicized narratives of the 19th and 20th centuries. By doing so, R. Huseynov creates a practical roadmap for independent monitoring bodies tasked with verifying the historical authenticity of endangered heritage sites.
The architectural and ecclesiastical evolution of the Albanian Autocephalous Apostolic Church constitutes the empirical core of the text. R.Huseynov systematically maps the structural timeline of major medieval complexes—such as Gandzasar, Khudavank, and Amaras — demonstrating how administrative top-down transformations can wipe out tangible heritage. Specifically, the study analyzes the catastrophic implications of the Russian Imperial decree of 1836, which abolished the Albanian Catholicosate and transferred its entire archive and institutional property to the Armenian Church of Etchmiadzin. This case study serves as a serious academic warning for modern cultural protection observers it illustrates how state-sponsored bureaucratic intervention could lead to the "institutional de-ethnization" and subsequent cultural appropriation of historical monuments.
Furthermore, R.Huseynov's integration of the archival epigraphic notes compiled by Academician Joseph Orbeli reveals a profound Turkic and Caucasian civilizational synthesis within Albanian material culture. The documented abundance of Turkic nomenclature, administrative titles (atabegs, meliks), and linguistic markers directly refutes the concept of an isolated monocultural landscape. On the contrary, it reframes the region as a dynamic civilizational melting pot. This insight possesses high policy relevance for current international oversight bodies, proving that sustainable heritage preservation must look beyond mere physical structure to protect complex, multi-layered historical truths.
In the context of contemporary peacebuilding and international development, this research facilitates a vital cross-border knowledge exchange. As Azerbaijan actively undertakes the physical restoration of ancient Albanian shrines and supports the cultural renaissance of the indigenous Udi Christian community, R.Huseynov’s work is evolving from an academic thesis into an effective policy tool. It reminds global monitoring networks that the defense of cultural property requires a twofold approach the rigorous independent documentation of physical structures and the uncompromising restoration of historical fact.
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