Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences
Istiglaliyyat str. 8, Baku-Az1001
Email: alakbarli_farid@yahoo.com
"ELM" - WEBSITE OF PROFESSOR FARID ALAKBARLI
FARID ALAKBARLI (1964) is PhD, Professor of History, Head of Department of Translation and Preparation of Manuscripts and Old Printed Books for Publication of the M.Fuzuli Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.
He is President of the Azerbaijan Association of Medical Historians (AAMH), National Delegate from Azerbaijan to International Society For the History of Medicine (ISHM), the author of more than 200 scientific and educational works including 23 scientific books and a number of stories and novels.Read More...
MAIN FIELD OF RESEARCH. Medieval medical manuscripts, culturology and history of science. Medicine and pharmacology in medieval Near and Middle East.Read More...
Contribution
Medicinal plants, animals and minerals described in medieval sources have been studied.
Unique medieval manuscripts were found and studied in Vatican Archives
29.01.2020. Health in Early Civilizations. The Third Part of the Series "Azerbaijan: A History of Civilization and Health" by Prof. Farid Alakbarli.
29.01.2020. Neolithic Medicine. The Second Part of the Series "Azerbaijan: A History of Civilization and Health" by Prof. Farid Alakbarli.
29.01.2020. Health in the Paleolithic Age. The First Part of the Series "Azerbaijan: A History of Civilization and Health" by Prof. Farid Alakbarli.
09.01.2019. January 3, 2019 marks the 55th anniversary of Professor Farid Alakbarli, a specialist in the field of medieval medicine, the first Azerbaijani scholar working in the Vatican’s Secret Archive and delivering copies of medieval manuscripts and documents related to Azerbaijan from there to Baku.
29.09.2018. Today, at the weekend, a meeting was held with the American researcher Dr. Stephen Facciola. In an informal setting with a cup of tea, prof. Farid Alakbarli and Dr. Stephen Facciola talked about the history of culinary, Eastern medicine, medieval medical manuscripts and the process of their translation into different languages at the Institute of Manuscripts of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. Stephen Facciola is the author of the famous American book "Cornucopia: A Source Book of Edible Plants". Soon he will travel to the regions of Azerbaijan with the aim of studying local culinary traditions, edible and medicinal plants. Then he will go to Iran for the same purpose.
03. 09. 2018. Prof. Farid Alakbarli (center) with Israeli scientists who visited the Institute of Manuscripts of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan: Prof. Zohar Amar (second from left), Dr. Yaron Serry (second from right), as well as the Deputy Director of the Institute, Dr. Pasha Karimov (first from left) and the Scientific Secretary of the Institute, Dr. Azizaga Najafov (first right). Zohar Amar (1960) is a Professor at the Department of Land of Israel Studies at Bar-Ilan University. He explores the history of medicine and pharmacy, as well as the history of the vegetation cover and fauna of the Land of Israel, based on an analysis of ancient Jewish and Arab sources. Possessing Yemeni roots, and being also Arabists, these scholars perfectly master the classical Arabic language. The guests were interested in the rare manuscripts kept in the Baku Institute of Manuscripts - especially those included in the list of the Memory of the World Program of UNESCO. The manuscript of the Canon by Ibn Sina (copied in 1143), the manuscript of the thirtieth volume of work "al-Tasrif" on surgery and instruments by Abulkasim Zahravi (copied in the 11th century), as well as other rare medieval manuscripts attracted the attention of scientists due to their scientific, historical value, as well as beautiful decoration. During the conversation the scientists told about their research and scientific achievements, shared their experience, expressed their opinion about possible ways of future scientific cooperation.
8.06.2018. On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, in May 2018, Huseyn Baikara's book "History of the struggle for the independence of Azerbaijan" was published in Russian. The book was published by the publishing house Kitab Klubu. Translation from Turkish into Russian was carried out by Ph.D. in Philology S.Aliyeva, editor - R.Gamidov, the author of the preface, doctor of historical sciences, professor Farid Alаkbаrli. Huseyn Baikara (1904-1984) is a prominent representative of the Azerbaijani national liberation movement, scientist, publicist and poet (real name Gara Huseynov), who was born in 1904 in the city of Shusha, in the family of a wealthy landowner. He studied (since 1922) at the historical faculty of the Baku State University. As a supporter of the country's independence, he was repeatedly arrested. Fleeing from another arrest, in May 1927 he illegally crossed the border with Iran and from there transferred to Turkey. Being in emigration in Turkey, Huseyn Baikar published many books and articles about the Azerbaijani national movement, including: "To the 50th anniversary of Azerbaijan's independence", "Two military victories of the Republic of Azerbaijan", "Economic background of Azerbaijan's struggle for independence", etc. Particularly two of his books gained great popularity: "History of the struggle for independence of Azerbaijan" (published in 1975 in Istanbul) and "The Iranian Revolution and the Movement for Freedom."
8.03.2018. A monograph "Azerbaijanis" has been published in Moscow in the series "Peoples and Cultures" / Ed. A. Mamedli, L.T. Solovyova; Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences; National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. - Moscow: Nauka, 2017.- 708 p. The book was created by a large team of Azerbaijani scientists. Section "Science and Education" was written by Prof. Farid Alakbarli. This book is the next volume of the fundamental series "Peoples and Cultures" dedicated to the historical and ethnographic description of Azerbaijanis, which are one of the most interesting peoples of the Caucasus, the creators of an ancient and original ethnic culture. The monograph informs about the historical and cultural environment of the people, the main stages of ethnopolitical history and the formation of the Azerbaijani nation. Data on the traditional economy (agriculture, cattle breeding) and crafts (pottery, carpet weaving, woodworking, metalworking, jewelry), material culture, family and family rituals, public life and social institutions, professional and spiritual culture, and Azerbaijani diasporas are given. The book is intended for historians, ethnologists, culturologists and a wide range of readers.
9.11.2017.The Baku publishing house Sharg-Garb (East-West) published the third supplemented and amended edition of Farid Alakbarli's book "The Thousand and One Secret of the East" (Baku, 2017). The two-volume edition in Russian summarizes the information of ancient and medieval sources about medicine, philosophy, science and culture of the ancient Orient, including Azerbaijan. The book is intended for a wide range of readers.
10.10.2017.The book “Religion: Thy Relevance” edited by Prof. (Dr.) Veenus Jain from the Amity Institute of Social Sciences (AISS) was released in India. The main aim of the publication is to provide the academic fraternity and an insight into various aspects and role played by religion. Prof. Farid Alakbarli is the author of the chapter entitled “Shiism and Formation of the Ethno-Religious Identity of Azeri Turks in the Safavid State during the 16th - 17th centuries”. According to the author one of the key stages in the formation of the national mentality of the Azerbaijani people is the era of the rule of the shahs from the Safavid dynasty in the period from the 16th to the 17th century, when the Azerbaijani ethnos acquired new characteristic national features that distinguish it from other related Turkic peoples. The book was published on 3rd April 2017 by Jupiter Publications Consortium (India). ISBN: 978-93-86388-01-8 | Rs.780/- | 220 pages.
06.06.2017. Recently, the Baku publishing house "Avropa" published Haji Suleiman Irevani's 269-page work "Fawa'id al-Hikmat" ("The Benefit of Wisdom") translated from Persian into Azerbaijani. The book was written in the 18th century on the basis of earlier sources and narrates about the methods of treatment and medicines of the medieval Orient. Translation: Kalama Abbasova, scientific editor: Farid Alakbarli. The book is an encyclopedia of medieval pharmacy, narrating about hundreds of species of medicinal plants, as well as the medicinal properties of products of animal and mineral origin. The ancient manuscripts of "Fawaid al-Hikmet" are kept in the Institute of Manuscripts named after. Muhammad Fizuli of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, as well as in Iran and Egypt.
18.03.2017. March 17, 2017 in the Central Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan "Days of Hungary in Azerbaijan" took place. Within the framework of the event, the presentation of the book "The Tragedy of Man" by the famous Hungarian writer Imre Madach was held. The book was translated from Hungarian into Azerbaijani for the first time. The presentation was opened by the vice-president of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, academician Isa Habibbeyli. Scholars and writers that arrived from Hungary spoke on the cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Hungary. Prof. Farid Alakbarli who participated in the event noted that Hungary and the Turkic world are united by deep historical ties dating back to the Hunnic and Cumanic (Polovtsian) periods of Hungarian history. Interest in the Turkic component of Hungarian culture was shown by the famous orientalist A. Vamberi and other prominent Hungarian scholars of the 19th century. At present, the Turanian congresses with the participation of representatives from Azerbaijan and other Turkic states, which are held periodically in Hungary, serve as an illustration of the Turkic-Hungarian cultural ties.
15.03.2017. March 14, 2017 in the Institute of Manuscripts named after Muhammad Fizuli of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan the presentation of the "Book of Travels" (1875/6) of the famous Iranian dignitary and writer Farhad Mirza Qajar was held. This book, which contains a lot of interesting information related to the history of Iran, Azerbaijan and adjacent regions, was translated from Persian into Azerbaijani by Dr. Tahira Hasanzadeh. The Qajar Prince Farhad Mirza created his work in 1875-1876, during a pilgrimage to Mecca. As part of his trip, Farhad Mirza visited Transcaucasia, where he met with prominent figures of Azerbaijani culture, including Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh (Akhundov), Hasan bey Zardabi and others. The "Book of Travels" describes the impressions of these meetings and the content of the conversations. The book is of interest both for historians and for a wide range of readers. During the presentation of the book, Corresponding Member of ANAS prof. Mohsun Nagisoylu, prof. Farid Alakbarli and others made a speech about the scientific significance of this book.
21.01.2017. Head of the International Relations Department of the Institute of Manuscripts of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, doctor of historical sciences, prof. Farid Alakbarli was awarded the title of "Culture Ambassador" for: "Achievements in the field of studying the history of science, medicine and culture in Azerbaijan, popularization of knowledge about Azerbaijani culture at home and abroad, deep personal culture and active participation in the creative activity of the Azerbaijan Association of Culture "Simurg".
22.11.2016. November 16, 2016 in the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction, an event dedicated to the International Day of Tolerance took place. The event was attended by the head of the International Relations Department of the Institute of Manuscripts of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (ANAS) prof. Farid Alakbarli, head of the Analytical Department of the Baku International Center for Multiculturalism Rashad Ilyasov and a staff member of the Institute of Manuscripts of ANAS Dr. Khatira Yusifova and others.
20.11.2016. November 18, 2016 in the Institute of Manuscripts of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, the First International Conference "Azerbaijani manuscripts in libraries of the world" was held. The event was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence.
24.10.2016. The book “The Literary-artistic sources of Azerbaijan multiculturalism” prepared by Baku International Multiculturalism Center was presented to CLS of ANAS in Azerbaijani and English languages. The scientific editor of the book is Kamal Abdulla and authors are corresponding member of ANAS Mohsun Naghisoylu, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Farid Alakbarli, PhD in philology Akram Baghirov and PhD in philology Ibrahim Guliyev. In the book, it was reflected the examples of multicultural values of the millennial history of our classical literature. There is detailed information about our multicultural vision in brief essays on 2 epics and 75 authors. In the collection, there is explanation of some Arabic-Persian words and some outdated phrases and definitions. It was referred to nearly 100 scientific and artistic literatures in the book.
10.06.2016. June 2-7, 2016 in Berlin, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany hosted an event of the UNESCO Expert Council "The International Expert Meeting with the objective of the follow-up to the implementation of the UNESCO Action Plan for the Emergency Safeguarding of Syria’s Cultural Heritage." In particular, the event raised the issue of measures to protect the mausoleum of the outstanding Azerbaijani poet Imadeddin Nasimi (1369-1417) which is located in Aleppo. Azerbaijan at the event was represented by Prof. Farid Alakbarli.
26.05.2016. Farid Alakbarli. Horses of Azerbaijan: A Historical Survey. Baku: AAMH, 2016. – 41 P. Since antiquity, the horse played a major role in the life of peoples inhabiting Azerbaijan. Horses were widely used by Scythians, Cimmerians and various Turkic tribes which inhabited steppes of Azerbaijan in ancient and medieval times. Numerous mounds with graves of horses buried with military honors together with saddles and harnesses were found on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The earliest of them date back to the 4th millennium BC. Figures of horses were depicted on carpets, weapons, jewelry and household utensils. Zoomorphic gravestones in the form of the horse are typical to many regions of Azerbaijan and are known among the people as “Oguz Gebirleri” (“The Oguz graves”). According to statistics from January 1, 2007 in all categories of farms in Azerbaijan there were bred 69,984 horses. The most famous local breeds of horses are Karabakh and Dilboz (Deliboz). This article offers a brief overview of the history of the horse in Azerbaijan from prehistoric times to the 19th century.
27.11.2015. The International Congress of Marco Polo and its impact on the former and today's Silk Road was held in Šibenik, Republic of Croatia from 20th to 22nd November, 2015. The Congress was dedicated to the role of the Silk Road in cultural exchange and interaction between civilizations. Prof. Jasna Vukas (the President of the Congress, Croatia), Dr. Boris Marelić (UK), Dr. Alexandra Wetzel (Italy), Pof. Farid Alakbarli (Azerbaijan), Mr. Jeff Fuchs (Canada), Dr. Enzo Finocchiaro (Italy), Dr. Dražen Žgaljić (Croatia), Dr. Yasuhiro Yokkaichi (Japan) and others participated in the Congress. Prof. Farid Alakbarli spoke at the conference with the report "The role of the Silk Road in the formation of the multicultural environment in Azerbaijan".
22.04.2015. Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy: On April 21, 2015, the international conference "Azerbaijani Multiculturalism and Caucasian Albania", organized by the Baku International Center of Multiculturalism in cooperation with the "think tank" Nodo di Gordio and the Azerbaijani Embassy in Italy, was held at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. Before the beginning of the conference, its participants visited the Villa Borghese park, where they laid flowers at the monument to Nizami Ganjavi. Within the framework of the conference the work of the section "Multicultural environment and interreligious dialogue in Azerbaijan" was held under the moderation of Prof. Farid Alakbarli. From the Azerbaijani side, the chairman of the Udi community of Azerbaijan Robert Mobili, prof. Farida Mamedova, Dr. Farda Asadov and others took part in the conference.
28.02.2015. IRCICA (Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture: "International Symposium on “Science and Technology in Islamic Civilization" held in Baku, Azerbaijan, 20-22 February 2015.The first working session heard the following studies: "Alchemy of the Muslim Period between Egyptian-Greek-Roman-Chinese Alchemy and European Chemistry" by H. Isahanli; "Scientific Manuscripts of Azeri Writers in the Middle Ages at Apostolic Library of Vatican" by Prof. Farid Alakbarli; "Mentality and the Dynamics of the Scientific Revolution in the Islamic Worl" by Prof. Mustafa Demirci; "Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Khwarizmi and his Work Entitled Mafatih al-Ulum" by Prof. Mustafa Sabri Küçükaşçı".
25.02.2015. "Elm və təhsil" publishing house published the book "Vatikan arxivlərində saxlanan Azərbaycana aid əlyazmalar" ("Manuscripts related to Azerbaijan, kept in Vatican archives") by Prof. Farid Alakbarli. In the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Secret Archives, the author found 68 medieval manuscript books related to Azerbaijan, and correspondence between the Roman popes and rulers of the Ilkhanid dynasty, Safavid and Qajar dynasties, as well as numerous geographical maps. Among the sources found there are medieval manuscripts of the works of well-known classics of Turkic and Persian-language literature such as Nizami, Fizuli, Nasimi, Suhrawardi, etc., as well as 11 previously unexplored works of medieval authors. The author of the book was sent to the Vatican by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan. The purpose of the trip was to discover and study historical documents stored in the Vatican Secret Archives.
04.02.2015. "Trend" News Agency. Prof. Hendrik Boeschoten, Prof. Farid Alakbarli, Publisher Sandro Teti, etc. participated in the International colloquium "Kitabi Dede Korkut" and Friedrich von Dietz-200" held at the Baku International Center of Multiculturalism, 10 February, 2015. The Colloquium was devoted to the 200-year anniversary of discovery and translation into German of the medieval manuscript of "Kitabi Dede Korkut", which was discovered by Friedrich von Ditz in the Library of Dresden. The German translation was published in 1815 AD in Leipzig.
23.01.2015. Fərid Ələkbərli. Ortaçağ Şərq təbabəti (1 kitabda 2 cilddə). (Farid Alakbarli. Medieval Oriental Medicine, in Azeri). A new revised and supplemented edition based on the author's previously published work "The Thousand and One Secret of the East." The book tells about the medicinal properties of medicinal plants, various food products and natural medicines. The recommendations of medieval medicine are given in comparison and taking into account the scientific achievements of our time. The book analyzes the principles of dietetics and nutrition culture in the medieval Orient. Recipes of dishes with curative effect, described in medieval sources, are given. The book is written on the basis of the study of medieval works in the field of medicine and is intended for a wide range of readers.