1. Let's talk about Albanians. No, not THOSE Albanians, in the Balkans. The Caucasian Albanians, the pre-Turkish inhabitants of the land now known as Azerbaijan. 🇦🇿

2. Yeah, I know, there's also an "Iberia" there, which should cause even more confusion (with Spain), but let's focus on "Albania".

3. This ancient church in the village of Nij (or Nic), just south of the Caucasus Mountains, belongs to the Udi people, a Christian minority in Azerbaijan descended from the area’s pre-Turkic Caucasian Albanians. 🇦🇿

4. Nearby are the ruins of the Caucasian Albanian capital of “old” Gabala (Qebele), where I was given a personal tour by one of the resident archeologists (just for showing up). 🇦🇿

5. Only a very tiny portion of the extensive site has been excavated. “Every place you dig,” the archeologist told me, “you will find artifacts.” This whole field is a city waiting to be uncovered.

The gap between the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian Sea, in modern-day Azerbaijan, has been an important migration route for early humans (and pre-humans) for hundreds of thousands of years, as evidenced by the prehistoric rock drawings at Gobustan, south of Baku. 🇦🇿

Rock drawing of a prehistoric hunter with a bow, in the site museum at Gobustan, Azerbaijan 🇦🇿

The prehistoric rock drawings span many different eras and are located near the top of a rocky outcropping in a landscape dominated by surrounding mud volcanos. Gobustan, Azerbaijan 🇦🇿

The rock drawings depict people hunting and dancing, as well as local animals and even boats - which may represent fishing or symbolize either earthly or spiritual journeys. Gobustan, Azerbaijan 🇦🇿

The now-arid landscape at Gobustan, south of Baku, was at various times (especially during recurring Ice Ages) a lot more lush, with juniper and pistachio trees, pomegranates and wild cherries. 🇦🇿