Monuments and Identities in the Caucasus

This is the first multidisciplinary volume with the focus on the barely accessible highlands between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and their invaluable artistic heritage. Numerous ancient and mediaeval monuments of Artsakh/Karabagh and Nakhichevan find themselves in the crucible of a strife involving mutually exclusive national accounts. They are gravely endangered today by the politics of cultural cleansing endorsed by the State of Azerbaijan.

The book is composed of 16 contributions by renowned scholars from eight nations. It contains rare photographic documentation and a detailed inventory. Part One explores the historical geography of these lands and their architecture. Part Two analyses the development of Azerbaijani nationalism against the background of the centuries-long geopolitical contest between Russia and Turkey. Part Three documents instances of monuments destruction and examines them in the light of international law.