Copper craftsmanship of Lahij
| Lahij | ||
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| Municipality | ||
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 Lahij
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| Coordinates: 40°51′11″N 48°23′35″E / 40.85306°N 48.39306°E | ||
| Country |
 Azerbaijan
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| Rayon | Ismailli | |
| Elevation | 1,375 m (4,514 ft) | |
| Population (2008) | ||
| • Total | 934 | |
| Time zone | AZT (UTC+4) | |
| • Summer (DST) | AZT (UTC+5) | |
| Website | http://ivanovka.net/ | |
Lahij (Tat: Löhij), (Azerbaijani: Lahıc) is a village and municipality on the southern slopes of Greater Caucasus within the Ismailli Rayon of Azerbaijan. Population is approximately 860 people who speak the Tati language.
Lahij is a notable place in Azerbaijan, with its authentic handicrafts traditions, particularly related to copper. The village's carpet and rug crafts are also well known in Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus. Lahij has an old sewage system (some experts claim that it was built 1000 – 1500 years ago). Due to frequent earthquakes local people have developed sophisticated and authentic construction techniques.
Lahij is one of the most ancient human settlements in Azerbaijan. The Lahij District is located in the Ismayilli region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range at a height of 1211 meters above sea level.
During the Medieval Period, Lahij became an important centre of craftsmen in Azerbaijan. Lahij master craftsmen could create forty types of items related to Folk Art. These skilled craftsmen included jewelers, blacksmiths, carpenters, carpet makers, engravers, painters, tanners, shoemakers and bast shoe makers, sock weavers and others. Many valuable examples of the products of these skills are exhibited in famous museums and collections.
The majority of the population of Lahij speaks the Tati language The residents of the region are usually bilingual: as well as the Tati language, an Iranian language, the Azerbaijani language is also widely spoken.
Being situated on the left bank of the River Ghirdiman and the slopes of the Niyal Mountain Chain, the settlement of Lahij is a unique living district, with its unusual planning lay out, transport systems, and its public, private and religious buildings. Lahij is an example of early urbanization and architecture, as shown by its cobbled streets and squares, together with its developed sewerage systems and water pipelines. Subterranean kurabandis (‘sewerage system’), made from river stones, and dating back to almost one thousand years, are thought to be one of the most ancient sewerage systems used in the world.
The residents of Lahij are divided into three categories, based on their craftsmanship: Baadvan, Azavarro and Araghird. Each of these categories has its own village square, mosque, hammam and graveyard. One of the most striking features of the urban look of Lahij, is the village square of each category, which, today, still has its specific role in the public life of the village.
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Wikipedia