CONSTRUCTION CERAMICS AND BACKGROUND ORNAMENTS OF THE MAUSOLEUMS OF THE ANCIENT SETTLEMENT OF KHARABA GILAN

Azerbaijani architecture has gone through a long development path in its history from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages. The dwellings, defensive systems, public buildings and memorial monuments built in this large chronological range had their own architectural features. Over the centuries, construction techniques have improved, durable building materials have been discovered and spread all over the world. Among the building materials, it is worth mentioning construction ceramics and gage (lime with a mixture), which were widely used in the construction of memorial monuments and public buildings and contributed to the intensive development of architecture. The purpose of the study is to analyze the architectural features of the mausoleums of the Kharaba Gilan settlement, built using building ceramics and lime (lime with impurities), as well as to study their decorative elements, including geometric ornaments and epigraphy. Methodology. The study used complex methods of analysis: architectural and historical analysis, comparative method. The study of literary sources, archaeological data and materials of restoration works has been carried out. Scientific novelty. The work reveals the importance of gage and building ceramics in the development of Azerbaijani architecture, emphasizing their influence on the strength, aesthetic expressiveness and durability of buildings. The study demonstrates that "architectural shirts" with ornamental and epigraphic elements not only served a decorative function, but also contributed to the preservation of buildings. Conclusions. As a result of the study, it was found that building materials such as burnt bricks and tar paper contributed to the creation of stable and aesthetically perfect architectural objects. The use of "architectural shirts" with geometric ornaments and epigraphy highlights the high level of construction technology in medieval Azerbaijan. The analysis showed that these architectural elements are important for the preservation of cultural heritage and require further research in the context of restoration and protection of monuments.