The ruins of the town of 12 hecrate area of Early medieval age known as "Torpaggala" and "Bayimli Castle" are located in Bayimli Village under subordination of Chiyni municipality of Agsu region on left bank of Girdiman River. The monument was used as arable place for long years and as a result the city cultural layer was destroyed up to approximately 50-60 cm depth. The monument is surrounded with magnificent fortress walls built from raw brick and deep ditch stretched along that. It is strange that, the ruins of magnificent town are not fixed up to now as historical-archaeological monument. The area of the monument is given to separate citizens as a share plot during plot reform.
In 2004 primary archaeological explorations were conducted in Bayimli Castle by Agsu-Ismayilly archaeological expedition of ANAS Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography by archaeologist Gafar Jabiyev. It is supposed that, Bayimli Castle is the ruins of Mehravan city founded by Mehranyds dynasty on the basis of the explorations.
Archaeological explorations launched at Mehravan again in 2013 on the basis of MIRAS Social Organization Project and with its comprehensive support. Primarily, the ditch with 450 meter depth and 1,5-2 meter width dug around pomegranate garden belonged to Bayimli village settler, Balli Hasanova was cleansed and studied. During the explorations numerous construction edifices, production facilities, as well as colourful home and economy items made of stone, metal, pottery, bone and glass are revealed. Non-analogous pottery trough inside Azerbaijani territory displayed in 2,3 meter depth, having 130 cm length, 76 cm width, 80 cm depth, 150 kg weigh is of particular interest.
The monument’s topographic plan was worked up by professional topographist, Shahin Allahverdiyev and Romanian expert Nicu Cristi before large-scale archaeological explorations in the monument. Afterwards, the staff of Novosibirsk State University and Novosibirsk Museum, Dr. Alexey Pronin and Dr. Sergey Roslyakov carried out geomagnetic researches in the relevant field.
Large-scale explorations launched over the monument in 2014. For this purpose one hectare area belonged to Shahlar Babayev, the settler of Bayimli Village was leased by MIRAS Social Organization for 99 years. 6th excavation site of 100 meter length and 20 meter width (2000 sq/ms) defined for the research was studied as squares each being 5x4 meter. The depth reached 2,5-3 meter in each square. In January-June of 2015 the explorations continued in VI excavation site.
During the explorations the ruins of public buildings, the foundation of which is built of rivers stone, walls from adobe, as well as living houses and ancillary buildings, stone planked roads, large economy vessels with different foodstuff and different kind of other household items were found. The finds include examples of local production of stone, metal, pottery, bone and glass. The materials brought via trade and cultural way existed amongst artifacts displayed. Copper and silver coins minted in Roman, Sasanyds and Byzantine States are revealed during the excavations. Bronze and agate seals, backgammon stones, unique potterywares of snail shape prove the monument richness. Bronze fibula-pin, psoriasis and paste, golden ring with beads and precious stone displayed in 9B square in 60 cm depth and in 9Ç square golden chain fragment displayed in June 2015 are of special interest. Let’s recall that, these samples are the third gold found in last 3 years by Agsu Archaeological Expedition. Golden items revealed from the area will be handed to Special Fund of National Museum of History of Azerbaijan following primary research.
All finds cover 3-8th century chronically. As it is known from the history, this period is considered the most mighty time of Caucasus Albania. Mehravan city had special place in political and military life of the country in that time. Definitely, it will be possible to elucidate some dark moments of Albanian history in Mehravan as a result of future researches.
Relevant measures are being taken for the conservation of the monument. Taking into account that ground cover and historical and cultural finds of the studied field fastly etched, Italian experts are involved in this work. The samples were taken from the area for the analyses by staff of YOCOCU Association and Calabria University-Mauro La Russa, Andrea Macchia and Silvio Ruffolo. Laboratory researches are made over those samples. Irrespective of the analyses, the nanomaterials are used in the monument conservation.
Agsu Archaeological Expedition and and MIRAS Social Organization plan to build museum, fund and laboratory in Chiyni Village of the region for the purpose of protection and exposition of artifacts displayed from Mehravan town on the level of modern international standards. In these terms Atrea Project Comp of Italy, under the guidance of Antonella Chiaranda worked up a corresponding project.