Cultural Landscape of Khinalig People and “Köç Yolu” Transhumance Route

Map

The Cultural Landscape of Khinalig People and Köç Yolu Transhumance Route: A Testament to Ancient Adaptation and Resilience

The Cultural Landscape of Khinalig People and Köç Yolu Transhumance Route, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, offers a unique glimpse into the rich tapestry of human adaptation and resilience in the face of challenging environmental conditions. Situated in the high-mountainous region of northern Azerbaijan, this cultural landscape encompasses several key components that together form a testament to the ingenuity and perseverance of the Khinalig people, a semi-nomadic community whose culture and lifestyle have been shaped by centuries of seasonal migration between summer and winter pastures.

More to come…

UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

This cultural landscape is comprised of the high-mountain Khinalig village in northern Azerbaijan, high-altitude summer pastures and agricultural terraces in the Greater Caucasus Mountains, winter pastures in the lowland plains in central Azerbaijan, and the connecting 200-kilometre-long seasonal transhumance route called Köç Yolu (“Migration Route”). The village of Khinalig is home to the semi-nomadic Khinalig people, whose culture and lifestyle are defined by the seasonal migration between summer and winter pastures, and who retain the ancient way of long-distance vertical transhumance. The organically evolved network including ancient routes, temporary pastures and camping sites, mausoleums, and mosques illustrates a sustainable eco-social system adapted to extreme environmental conditions.

Encyclopedia Record: Khinalug

Khinalug or Khinalyg is a municipality and an ancient Caucasian village with origins dating back to the Caucasian Albanian period. It is located high up in the mountains of Quba District, Azerbaijan. The municipality of Khinalug is part of the Quba District and consists of the villages of Khinalug and Galaykhudat. The village was included in the Cultural Landscape of Khinalug People and "Köç Yolu" Transhumance Route UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023.

Read more on Wikipedia