The Tartar language1 prevails, but the Armenian tongue
is likewise common : there is also a dialect composed of these
two. The Hebrew, which is spoken in this country, is much
mixed with the Persian.2
The people of the plains and towns resemble in character
the Persians; but the mountaineers, or more ancient inhabitants,
are very different. The descendants of the Tartars are
silent and cautious in their conduct : although hot and vindictive,
their courage is not of a high order, and they are
deficient in firmness and perseverance. Their chief amusements
consist of horse, and gymnastic exercises, in which they
excel ; and, unlike other easterns, they take all the laborious
household tasks, leaving to the females needlework and other
light occupations. The softer sex have not, however, been
improved in their morals by thus occupying their proper
position in society ; for though modest in outward demeanour,
the women of the mountain districts lead irregular lives.3
Kuba, Baku, and the other Khanâts, are subject to local
princes (mirzas), one of whom is elected supreme governor,
with the title of Shamkhâl (Syrian prince). This choice is
determined in a very primitive manner ; for the chiefs being
assembled, the priest throws a gilded apple amongst them,
and the individual whom it happens to strike undertakes the
sovereign functions,4 which he exercises at Tarku, the ancient
seat of government, almost without control. The city
has a population of about 10,000 souls ; but it was much more
important before its destruction by the Russians in 1725.
The whole tract lying between the Caspian Sea and the
rivers Araxes and Iverne, which includes Derbend, Kuba,
Baku and Sheki, formed part of the territory of the Amazons.5
It likewise constituted that part of the country of the Arii
which touched the Caucasus, and it corresponds to the Media
of Herodotus6 and Strabo.7 This name is derived by the
This appears to be a mixture of the Turkoman and Persian tongues.
Aperçu, &c., Tome III., p. 61 to 91.
* 19 3 Ibid.
moderns from Madai,1 and the capital appears to have been
Samunis.2
In addition to this city, there were those of Cyropolis,
Eres, or Aras (now called Arisban), Sequi, and Giavat.3
This tract would seem to be the second, or new Media ; and
if so, some of the existing geographical difficulties respecting
the different districts bearing this name might be removed :
the inhabitants would naturally have preserved the original
appellation as they advanced northward ; and as late as two
centuries ago this district was called Northern Media, to
distinguish it from the province beyond the Araxes.4 The
use of the word Spaco6 by the people living on the shores of
the Caspian,6 indicates a Median origin ; and in the district of
Laghiche there is another branch from the same stock : these,
like the Chalybes, are exclusively occupied with iron and
copper works.7 The Medes were originally called Arii ;8 and
their more southern origin may be traced in the worship of
Jupiter, the sun, moon, earth, and Venus.9 The last deity
was borrowed from the Assyrians, which indicates that they
were the descendants of one of the bands which quitted
Shinar to settle in the valleys of Georgia and Armenia,10 or
in the Chus of the Caucasus,11 which extended from lake
Urumiyah to the Caspian Sea. This territory formed the
eastern and principal part of Albania ; a kingdom in which
26 languages were spoken, and sufficiently powerful to oppose
Pompey with 72,000 men.12 It likewise formed part of the
immense empire of Armenia ;13 but the present name of
Shirvân only dates from the conquest by Khosroo Nushiravân
in the sixth century.
1 Genesis x. 2. 2 Ogilby’s Asia, p. 9. 3 Ibid., p. 10.
4 Media Atropatene, the great Media.—Ibid., p. 9.
3 Herodotus, lib. I. c. ex.
8 Aperçu, &c., Tome III., p. 191 to 296.
7 Ibid., p. 91 to 136.
8 Herodotus, lib. VII. c. Ixii.
3 Ibid., lib. I. c: xxxi. ; and especially the Moon.— Strabo, XI., 503.
10 Des Guignes, Hist, des Huns, Vol. I., p. 3.
11 K’housdi K’habgokh, or Media near Armenia and the Caspian.-— St.
Martin, Mémoires sur l’Arménie, Tome II., p. 371.
12 Strabo, XI., 502, 503. 13 See Chap. V.