In November, the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Azerbaijan's Academy of Sciences in Baku hosted a conference dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Gudrat Ismailzadeh, under the title "The Cultural Heritage of Karabakh and Zangezur in Archaeological and Ethnographic Research." The conference underscored Ismailzadeh's substantial contribution to the discovery, registration, research, and coverage of archaeological monuments in Karabakh, carried out by the expedition under his leadership. It was further emphasized that, following the so-called "liberation of Karabakh," his work would continue.

From this, it is evident that the Azerbaijani side considers Gudrat Ismailzadeh-who worked predominantly in the Karabakh region—to be the founder of Azerbaijani archaeology in Karabakh (https://arxeologiya.az/?p=3467). The Azerbaijani side's decision to link the conference theme with the place names of Karabakh and Zangezur on the occasion of Ismailzadeh's 90th anniversary was by no means fortuitous. This association was emphasized by Farhad Guliyev, Director of the Institute of Archaeology of Azerbaijan, who underscored the purported efforts to destroy and erase the archaeological and historical realities of these territories during the period of the "Armenian occupation" (https://azertag.az/ru/xeber/v_bgu_proshla_mezhdunarodnaya_konferenciya_kulturnoe_nasledie_karabaha_i_zangezura_v_arheologicheskih_issledovaniyah-3262904).

Archaeologist Gudrat Ismailzadeh, who bore the surname Ismailov during the Soviet period, conducted research within and beyond the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) territory. From 1964 to 1988, he worked on various aspects of early agriculture and multiple phases of the Bronze and Iron Ages, among other topics. His assistant and deputy was the Armenian archaeologist Ophelia Danielyan. Ismailov himself

was known to make frequent visits to Yerevan, took part in numerous conferences there, and maintained professional and cordial relations with Armenian archaeologists. These relations are recalled positively by local researchers, who describe him as a reputable and cooperative colleague. They further attest that, at least during the Soviet era, he did not engage in anti-Armenian, anti-scientific, or historically distorting statements, conversations, or publications. They further note that his scholarly interests were primarily limited to the region's early historical period, concentrating on the relevant chronological stages, while he did not engage with later historical periods. In this context, special thanks are due to Dr. Levon Petrosyan, Senior Researcher at the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, for sharing his personal memories.

It is noteworthy that Azerbaijani official sources have remained silent regarding Ismayilov's ties with Armenian archaeologists, his Armenian deputy, or the participation of other Armenian specialists in his work in the NKAO. We also thank Dr. Vardges Safaryan for his account of Ismayilov's years of work in Stepanakert, his personal acquaintance with him, and their joint work in the expedition.

In contrast, for over three decades, Ismayilzade (as he is now known) has repeatedly stated in interviews with Azerbaijani media that the territory of Karabakh was thoroughly investigated during the Soviet period and that Armenian "colleagues" played no part in those studies. According to him, Armenians are "incapable of discovering or recognizing anything connected to themselves, their forebears, or their history" in this land (https://news.day.az/society/223537.html).

In numerous interviews, he characterized those territories as being "occupied by Armenians" while also referring to the area of Artsakh as Caucasian Albania from a historical perspective. Compared to many of his Azerbaijani archaeological contemporaries—including those of the preceding generation—Ismayilov demonstrated a more comprehensive knowledge of Armenian-related topics.

Regrettably, the collegial ties and interactions that once existed between certain Azerbaijani and Armenian archaeologists during the Soviet period have become a target of political exploitation. As a result, some of Ismayilov's former Azerbaijani colleagues are now obliged to conform to these distorted approaches.