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Davud Aga AxundovAzerbaijani architect
Country:
 Azerbaijan |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Professional Career
- Khachdashes Hypothesis
- Baku Archaeological Congress Scandal
- Khachdashes Research and Criticism
- Concept of Caspiania and Alban-Arians
- Premediation of Azerbaijan's History
- Conclusion
Early Life and Education
In 1942, Azerbaijani architect and historian Fuad Akhundov graduated from the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute named after Azizbekov.
Professional Career
Akhundov's architectural portfolio spans over 100 buildings in Azerbaijan and Russia. He headed the Department of Architectural Structures and Monument Restoration at the Azerbaijan Civil Engineering Institute.
Khachdashes Hypothesis
In 1983, Akhundov proposed the hypothesis that Armenian medieval monuments known as khachkars were actually pre-Christian creations of Caucasian Albania and had Zoroastrian or Mithraic origins. He coined the term "Khachdashes" (stone crosses) for these monuments.
Baku Archaeological Congress Scandal
In 1985, Akhundov presented his Khachdashes hypothesis at the All-Union Archaeological Congress in Baku. The Armenian delegation threatened to withdraw, and Leningrad scholars condemned the report as pseudoscientific political propaganda.
Khachdashes Research and Criticism
Archaeologists Philip Kohl and Gocha Tsetskhladze criticized Akhundov's Khachdashes report as a deliberate political provocation. Critics argued that Akhundov ignored Christian iconography and overlooked Armenian inscriptions on the monuments.
Concept of Caspiania and Alban-Arians
Akhundov introduced the concept of the Caspiania state as an intermediary between Manna and Caucasian Albania. He constructed the fictitious nationality of "Alban-Arians" and drew cultural connections from the Neolithic period to the Middle Ages.
Premediation of Azerbaijan's History
Akhundov depicted Azerbaijan as an urbanized nation as early as 1000 BCE, portraying Azerbaijanis as direct descendants of the Caucasian Albanians. He relocated the capital of ancient Caucasian Albania to Baku and declared the Absheron Peninsula the mythical land of the Avestic Aryans, Aryana Vaeja.
Conclusion
Akhundov's controversial theories on Azerbaijani history have been widely debated and criticized by scholars. Despite these criticisms, his work remains influential in Azerbaijani historical discourse.
