Secrets of Azerbaijan: Roads of No Return and Forgotten Villages

S – Social Perspective: The Silent Voice of Forgotten Lands
Across Azerbaijan, there are villages and roads that took centuries to form, but over time, they have faded from human touch and memory. Once bustling with life, filled with weddings and children's laughter, these villages have now become places ruled by silence. Many were abandoned due to natural disasters, wars, or geopolitical reasons. Some, however, have become known for mystical and unexplained events — areas locals now refer to as “roads of no return,” blending reality with legend.

The Silent Echo of the Forgotten
“Roads of no return” are not only geographical but also psychological and symbolic. Villages that once hosted lives, but later vanished without a trace, now live on in social memory as mysterious and often sorrowful stories. Those born there sometimes cannot return to their native places. Others are unaware such places even existed.

A – Academic Analysis: Historical and Geographical Realities

1. Roads of No Return – Fact, Myth, or Passage?
   In certain regions of Azerbaijan, locals speak of unusual phenomena linked to certain roads. For instance:

• In Lerik, there is a mountain pass known as the “road of the dead,” where locals claim travelers either meet accidents or get lost and never return.

• In the mountainous areas of Quba, some shepherds claim to have encountered an “invisible wall” and felt as if they stepped into another world.

2. Causes of Historical Depopulation
   Many villages were abandoned for the following reasons:

• The Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict led to the evacuation of border villages.

• Floods and landslides destroyed entire settlements. For example, Zərnava village in Qakh district has been repeatedly hit by landslides.

• Lack of economic opportunity caused mass migration from rural to urban areas.

3. Reports from State and Non-Governmental Organizations
   According to reports from ANAS and other scientific institutions, over 300 villages in Azerbaijan have been abandoned or erased from maps in the last 50 years. These villages now exist only in the memories of the elderly.

İ – Public Perception: Views on Mysticism and Fear

1. Local Myths and Legends
   Many regions of Azerbaijan are rich with legends about these forgotten places:

• The “Vanished Shepherd” legend — in the mountains of Zaqatala, a shepherd and his flock disappeared, and his voice is said to echo at night.

• The “Secret Tunnel” — between Shaki and Gabala, locals talk about a never-ending underground passage.

• The “Glowing Plane Tree” — in one of the mountainous villages of Tovuz, there's a legend about a tree that shines each night.

2. Public Reaction and Fears
   Many people avoid even mentioning these places. A mixture of fear, past trauma, and metaphysical belief has turned these areas into near-forbidden zones.

T – Analysis and Suggestions: How to Revive These Villages?

1. Cultural Restoration

• Legend Tourism – Developing mystical storytelling-based tourism routes can both preserve history and boost local economies.

• Forgotten Village Festivals – Annual cultural festivals could be organized in one or more abandoned villages to celebrate folk heritage.

2. Digital Memory Projects

• "Forgotten Villages" Map – A digital map should be created to document depopulated or destroyed villages across Azerbaijan.

• Multimedia Archives – Video interviews with elders sharing memories and stories of these villages should be preserved for future generations.

3. Youth Expeditions

• Expeditions could be organized with universities. Students could conduct research, create video blogs or documentaries, and share them on social media.

Some Forgotten Villages

1. Beyond Xinaliq – Behind the Quba Mountains
   Though Xinaliq is well-known, villages like Girdahur, Əlik, and Laza beyond it are nearly forgotten. Harsh roads and winter isolation have left them in deep silence.

2. Lost Villages of Lachin and Kalbajar
   Before the occupation, these areas had vibrant villages like Susuzluq, Ağbulaq, and Məzrə, now awaiting restoration, remembered only in local legends.

3. Border Villages of Tovuz and Shamkir
   Some villages once served as border checkpoints but were abandoned due to security threats. Today, only a few families remain in some of them.

What Do You Think?
What do these forgotten villages say to you?

How can we keep alive the memory of these places erased from our maps?

Perhaps you know such a village or a hidden road?

Share your thoughts with us. Every voice and every idea helps bring a little more light to the silence of these places.