Mythology of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani folklore ( Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan folkloru) is the folk tradition of Azerbaijani people which has developed throughout the centuries. Azerbaijani folklore is embodied explicitly in a large collection of narratives and implicitly in representational arts, such as vase painting and votive gifts.

Sources of Azerbaijani folklore

National Azerbaijani folklore samples followed by eposes such as Kitabi-Dede Gorgud, Gurbani, Koroglu, Shah Ismayil, Abbas and Gulgaz and Asli and Kerem, tales, bayatys, holavars, lullabies, anecdotes, riddles, proverbs and aphorisms. Azerbaijani myths are mainly based on the heroism and wisdom of a human being, which is demonstrated in epics such as Epic of Köroğlu, Book of Dede Korkut and ''Əsli və Kərəm''.

Koroǧlu

The story of Koroǧlu (lit. 'son of the blind') begins with his father's loss of sight. The feudal lord Hasan Khan blinds his stable manager Ali Kişi for a trivial offense by plucking out his eyes. ^. Köroǧlu character is supported by several historical pieces of evidence. In the late 16th century, the historical Koroǧlu was a leader of jelali rebellion, which broke out in Azerbaijan, in the border area between Persia and Turkey. Regarding the Turkish scholar, Pertev Naili Boratav, the Turkish sultan ordered to catch the leader of jelali called Köroǧlu (Rushan by name) during the 1580s.

Book of Dede Korkut

The character of Korkut is a white-bearded old man who is the narrative of the tale and guardian of the epic tradition. The book of Dede Korkut is known to the modern world from the two manuscripts belonging to the late 16th century.

Baba-I Amir

Baba-I Amir was a comic character in Azerbaijani folklore.

Bayati

“Bayati” is a short and ancient Azeri folk poetry containing four lines with seven syllable in each. They represent human feelings in a poetic form. Several forms of this genre differ from one another according to their telling form and subject. For instance, bayati-baglama, bayati deyishme (competition in saying bayati), vesfi-hal (praising), petting, holavar (labor poems). In these verses, ancient medical cures are mostly emphasized such as water-mint, spearmint, chamomile and basil that used as a treatment.

Ashik poetry

Ashik poetry is known as an ancient folk poetic performance in Caucasus. Poet-singers called ashiks narrated ancient tales and legends with stringed instrument kobuz in Azerbaijan. This way folk tales such as Köroǧlu and The Book of Dede Korkut preserved until today. Köroǧlu heroic dastan is the most famous Azerbaijani ashik epic and narrated by the third person, who is an ashik himself. Basic story spread from the origin place where supposed Anatolia or Azerbaijan into Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan by changing its content and character at every stage. In the Middle East ashiks regarded as a poet, singer, composer or musician. In Azerbaijani, the meaning of ashik is the lover of nature and life and accepted as a creator of national folk music and poetry.

Ceremonial songs and dances

Natural forces were the main subject for the national folklore samples in Azerbaijani folklore and people tried to express them by words or movements. The most popular ceremonial songs and dances were Kosa-Kosa, Godu-Godu, Novruz and Xidir Nabi which show dramatic genres of Azeri folklore.

Supernatural beings

*Meshe Adam ( az, Meşə Adam), sometimes known as ''Ağac Kişi'' (literally 'tree man') is according to Azerbaijani and Karachay mythology a spirit, who lives in mountainous forests.Мифы народов мира. Энциклопедия. Т.1. «Советская энциклопедия», 1991. It often represented in the form of hairy creatures of both sexes, being an ape with a human face and a sharp odor. It was believed that during their search for food, they go undercover to the gardens and orchards during the night while wearing discarded human clothes. According to some researchers, the Meshe Adam is a variant of the legend of the yeti