Salbir Castle - is located in Chukhur Gabala village of Gabala region. There have been carried out several comprehensive researches by Azerbaijani archeologists in this territory where there had been an intensive city-life in the 1st-11th century. Its territory environs 25 hectares area. Various archaeological materials are present here. Much of them are broken glazed plates belonging to the 9-17th centuries. Located on an even hilly place, underneath of where two mountainous rivers join, the castle is of strategic importance. The territory is surrounded by walls built from river stones, shaved stones and square-shaped burnt bricks with alabaster solution. Remnants of castle walls, gate place and towers are kept better in the south part. The walls are 6 m higher from the inner surface of the city here. The upper layer belongs to the 11-12th centuries. Houses, farming buildings, water-pipes, wells, tandirs, fire places and graves as well as ceramic, metal and glass products and coins have been revealed here during excavations in 1959-60. Part of the north wall and surroundings of one of the towers were excavated in 1967. Square-shaped tower in the south-west side with the joint castle wall and cultural layers of the city were investigated in 1974-1978. Another excavation of stratigraphic importance was carried out in south part of the castle wall and upper cultural layers were investigated in 1988-1989. Large shaved stones, river stones as well as burnt bricks were used in the construction of the castle wall. Probably, construction materials were gathered from older castle walls and city ruins. There have been discovered pieces of an earthenware water-pipe system of 40 m length and 20 cm diameter in Uzuntala, 500-600 m far from Gabala during high-way construction. Water line has 1 m depth and has been covered with burnt bricks. Scholars argue that it is possible to pass averagely 350-370 cubic meter water per hour.

Vali Bakhshaliyev Azerbaijani archaeology

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