Baku: A new book titled “A Vanished Civilization – An Overlooked Catastrophe” by a Ukrainian historian, writing under the pseudonym Kuzari, has been released in Ukraine. The work delves into the history of Azerbaijanis and their ancestors who resided in the territory of what is now Armenia, focusing on areas such as the historical Iravan Governorate and Zangazur.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the research was initially shared through a dedicated online platform before its print publication. The publishing group plans to extend the book’s reach to Poland, Germany, the Baltic states, Moldova, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. The book meticulously documents the historical presence of Azerbaijanis in the region, detailing their contributions to local cultural identity and the subsequent demographic shifts due to acts of violence and deportations.
The book emphasizes the Turkic heritage of the area, discussing mosques, cemeteries, fortresses, and monuments that serve as evidence of this past. The author highlights waves of expulsions, massacres, and deportations that led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis, noting the destruction or renaming of cultural heritage sites linked to their presence.
Kuzari’s research is supported by an evidentiary base of 1,765 sources, including archival records, historical writings by Armenian authors, and documents from pre-revolutionary and Soviet Russia, as well as French diplomatic materials. The publication is enriched with a multimedia database, featuring photos, videos, eyewitness accounts, and interviews with individuals who experienced deportation, preserving memories of their villages and traditions.
The book, available in Ukrainian along with its digital version, archival materials, and supplementary content, can be accessed on the project’s website, allowing readers to explore the comprehensive history of the Azerbaijani population’s displacement from the region.