Since 1992, due to the ongoing Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, many historical and cultural monuments in the occupied territories have been deliberately destroyed and undergone unlawful excavations by occuping Armenians, who have misappropriated numerous archaeological finds, including household items, tools and other examples of cultural heritage. One of the monuments looted and destroyed due to Armenian aggression is the Azykh Cave – one of the most ancient protohuman habitations in Eurasia – located in the Azerbaijani village of Khojavend in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Discovered by locals beneath the undergrowth of thick bushes in 1960, the Azykh Cave ranks amongst the most important archaeological discoveries in Azerbaijan. From 1960–86, a Paleolithic archaeological expedition from the Institute of History of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) under the guidance of archaeologist Mammedali Huseynov undertook a comprehensive excavation of the Azykh Cave. Such archaeologists as Demir Hajiyev, Asadullah Jafarov, Arif Mammadov organised numerous archaeological digs over many years. Thereafter, archaeological academics from France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Spain, Georgia and other countries came to Baku at the beginning of the 21st century, became acquainted with the artifacts found in the Azykh camp, and indicated their appreciation of the research that had been undertaken.

The extensive archaeological excavations of the Azykh camp undertaken by Azerbaijani scholars studied 80 per cent of the site. Although Azerbaijani scientists had insufficient time in which to complete their excavation works on the Azykh cave, they achieved some significant results. During the past 40 years, Azerbaijani archaeologists published more than 10 monographs and 200 scientific articles dedicated to the scientific study of the Azykh Cave. It was proven that a jawbone found in the Azykh Cave dates back between 350–400,000 years and this date was confirmed at international scientific conferences.

The Azykh Cave, located in the valley of the Kura and Araxes Rivers, in the Tug concave of the left bank of the Quruchay canyon, has been listed by UNESCO as an ancient cultural monument. The finds from the cave have great scientific importance, and provide an insight into the lives of those living there during protohistorical times. The topography of the Quruchay Valley also played a significant role in the life of the population in the past, as the inhabitants of Azykh used Quruchay cobbles to fashion their tools and household items. They also established the hunting tradition in the country, first undertaken in the Guruchay Valley. Indeed, scientific studies revealed that, during the Paleolithic period, the valley provided all that was necessary to sustain primitive man.

 It is thought that the majority of tools in the Azykh Cave were made some distance away and later brought to the camp as only finished tools were found at the lowest level of the camp and no waste materials were detected.

 The artifacts unearthed during archaeological excavations at the Azykh Cave shed new light upon this period of prehistory and, taking into account the unique manufacturing methods used to fashion the tools in the cave, the newly-discovered artifacts received a new appellation – Quruchay archaeological culture. During scientific analysis of these stone items, several developmental layers of Quruchay culture were identified, as the early tools were simple and rough, whereas later tools were fashioned using improved techniques.

 Subsequent scientific research indicated that Acheulian culture replaced Quruchay culture in the long-term. The richness of the artifacts found in the ancient Acheulian layer is indicative that many generations of primitive man lived in the Azykh Cave.

 Scientific research undertaken by Azerbaijani scientists identified the similarities between the tools from Quruchay culture found in the seventh to tenth layers of the ancient Azykh camp, the archaeological finds redolent of the Olduvay culture of East Africa, and the Dmanisi Paleolithic civilisation in Georgia.

 Finds from the Azykh civilisation have been analysed by many of the world’s leading archaeologists, including those from France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Netherlands. They have developed a programme entitled International INTAS – 2000, which is currently being implemented.

 However, since its occupation by neighbouring Armenia in 1992, the historical heritage of Azykh has been completely destroyed. During the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Azykh Cave was used as a military ammunition depot by Armenian and Russian military forces. In 1999, following the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, the Armenian Defence Ministry removed the arms and ammunition from the cave and subsequently handed the cave to the Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, who began excavation works.

 Since occupying this territory, the Armenian government decided to conduct archaeological excavations in order to artificially Armenianise the Azykh Cave, which had attracted the attention of archaeologists around the world, thereby endorsing their claim to the territory. This claim had already been disproven when, on 8 December 1981, Azerbaijani archaeologists exhibited some artifacts from Azykh in an exhibition entitled The First Inhabitants of Europe, organised at the Museum de l’Homme in Paris. Furthermore, hundreds of artifacts found during archeological excavations in the Azykh camp remain stored in Baku, and are available for analysis and examination. Despite all this evidence about the Cave, some Armenian scientists continue to falsify its history. 

Today, Armenian media continues to stress that the Azykh Cave, located 900m above sea level in the Salakatin village of the Khojavend region, forms part of Armenian cultural heritage. According to the Armenian media, each year since 1999, archaeologists from the Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography welcome scientific delegations from the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, Iceland, Armenian citizens residing in Nagorno-Karabakh and students from the University of Yerevan.

 It is undeniable that these unlawful actions have received financial support from Russia, the USA and France, despite being to the detriment of Azerbaijan, upon whose territory the Azyk Cave is located. Since 2001, the Armenian government has ceded management of the cave to foreign citizens – namely Spanish citizens Yolanda Fernandez and Patrice Dominates. During the following years, the Armenian-born British citizen Tanya King Ovanesyan, and Levon Episkoposiyan, an officer from the Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, were appointed to lead the excavation works.

 The Armenians subsequently excavated five out of seven entrances to the camp to a depth of 5–6m. They collected bones, household, working and hunting tools, together with other finds. Following initial cleansing in the Quruchay River, they were taken to Armenia, from where they were sent to London for laboratory tests.

 According to international law, the excavations in the Azykh Cave, undertaken under the auspices of the occupying Armenian regime, are completely illegal and have potential legal ramifications. Historical and cultural samples obtained during illegal excavations have been misappropriated. Azerbaijan has suffered concrete material and moral damage, for which the Armenian government is responsible. Furthermore, this represents a crime against humanity, as we cannot foresee which scientific research methods will be developed in the future that could analyse the sediment from the excavation.

 Article 31 of the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, as adopted by the UN International Law Commission at the 53rd Session of the UN General Assembly in 2001 acknowledges: “The responsible state shall pay the damage for the international illegal acts and this damage consists of all damages caused by the contradictory actions to international law, as well as material or moral damages.” Article 34 states: “The forms of payment, in full, for the damage caused by international illegal actions, may be in the form of restitution, compensation and satisfaction. These may be used separately, or in relation to each other”. At the present time, it is impossible to estimate the exact value of historical and cultural wealth stolen and destroyed by the Armenians.

 International observation of monuments, buildings and archaeological sites in the occupied territories is crucial. This can serve to enforce the relevant laws and protect sites in the conflict zone. A document on the protection of cultural property in the occupied territories was passed in Paris in 2012, during the 8th session of the UNESCO Committee on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The document states the possibility of sending an UNESCO technical mission to protect cultural monuments in the occupied territories. Moreover, a document adopted by Irina Bokova, General Director, UNESCO, supported the importance of preserving cultural property in the occupied territories via resolutions passed by the UN Security Council and General Assembly. Furthermore, Armenia has violated clauses of The Hague

Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and Paris

Convention on Illegally Exported Cultural Objects, regarding looting of the Azerbaijani cultural legacy. 

The ongoing Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is a clear violation of international law on many levels, the ongoing casualties being the estimated 875,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees who have been forced to leave their homeland. However, the cultural impact is often overlooked, and the effect on such sites as the Azykh Cave, where the heritage of humanity is under threat, should also be taken into account.
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