1. about the subject

Work on written sources. The process of working on written historical sources is also interesting. It mainly focuses on: 1) disclosure of sources (heuristics); 2) determination of the source text (reading the text, determination of the main or original text or appendix to it); 3) determination of the source origin (author, time, place, authenticity, conditions and purpose); 4) Study of the source origin - hermeneutics (determination of the completeness, validity and accuracy of the data); 5) Synthesis of source study (determination of genealogical relationships of the source, comparison of the sources based on the level of validity and accuracy). These tasks can be external (determination of the source origin, source creation date, its author, reading the content) and internal (studying the content of the source, its relevance to the historical reality, determination of its scientific significance, etc.)


Source study of Azerbaijan history
The definition of the terms

About the source study of Azerbaijan history. Historical documentation occupies one of the main places in the sources of Azerbaijan's history. Source study deals with the study of written sources. During the Soviet era, there were textbooks and resource materials called the Source Study of the history of the USSR, which dealt with written historical sources. Similar to the historical textbooks of the USSR, the source study of Russian history constituted the main part of that of USSR history.

Therefore, it became necessary to create a source study for the history of every allied republic. Most republics, as well as Azerbaijan's neighbors, Georgia and Armenia laid emphasis on this issue. As to the source study of Azerbaijan history, it was not able to reach the desired level. From this point of view, it is not surprising that there is neither clear concept, nor textbooks, teaching aids for learning the source study of Azerbaijan history.
Source study of Azerbaijan history: terminological definition, specific characters, and source groups. The source study of Azerbaijani history also needs to be described in terms of terminology. The sources of Azerbaijan history include Azerbaijani (s) or Azerbaijani-Turkish sources and foreign sources about Azerbaijan.
The evolution nature of Azerbaijan history has also influenced the process of source creation. Foreign sources were predominant in comparison to Azerbaijani (s) or Azerbaijani-Turkish sources.
This specific nature of the sources of the Azerbaijan history should also be reflected in the source study of Azerbaijan.
In Baku State University's "Source study Program of Azerbaijani History", the sources are grouped as "Sources on the ancient history of Azerbaijan", "Sources on the history of Azerbaijan in the V-X centuries" and so on.
This method, which is widely used in the source study of the history of the USSR, as well as in the source study of Azerbaijan history in one period or another, cannot be completely justified later as a whole.
Because, first of all, Azerbaijani sources are "dissolved" in foreign sources. (Works by Armenian authors about the history of Albania are used as "The Sources on the history of Azerbaijan in the V-X century" in the program. Such sources include the historical works by Sebeos, M. Khorenski, Yegishen, Buzand, Shirakas. Besides, local sources, such as Kitabi-Dede Gorgud epos, M. Kalankatuklu's Albanian history are used as a source on the history of Caucasian Albania”). First, there is no national distinction, feature related to its historical evolution. Second, combination of the sources which were created in different languages and historical periods makes their interpretation and possession more difficult. (this fact that is more important in the field study gives rise to complications when it refers to all periods of historical development at the same time, which are supported by written sources).
Considering the above mentioned, it is expedient to review the sources of Azerbaijan history in the following way:

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  Azerbaijani or Azerbaijani Turkish sources;
  
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  Foreign sources of Azerbaijan history;