Şıxmahmud Explained

Şıxmahmud
Settlement Type:Municipality
Pushpin Map:Azerbaijan
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Azerbaijan
Subdivision Type1:Autonomous republic
Subdivision Name1:Nakhchivan
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Babek
Population As Of:2005
Population Total:2839
Timezone:AZT
Utc Offset:+4
Coordinates:39.2514°N 45.4286°W

Şıxmahmud (also, Şeyxmahmud, Shikhmakhmud, Shykhmakhmud and Sheik-Mahmud) is a village and municipality in the Babek District of Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan.

Geography

It is located near the Nakhchivan-Shahbuz highway, 13 km north from the district center, on the right bank of the Nakhchivanchay River. Its economy emphasizes agriculture, growing grain, vegetables and animal husbandry.

Facilities

The village hosts a secondary school, music school, library, culture house, kindergarten, two mosques and a medical center.

Demographics

Şıxmahmud has a population of 2,839.[1]

Etymology

The village was named after a nearby sacred place called Shykhmahmud. The toponym Shykhmahmud is an altered form of the name of Sheikh Mahmud.[2]

Shikhmahmud Necropolis

Shikhmahmud Necropolis is an archaeological site near the village, dating from the 1st to 3rd centuries. It was discovered by chance on a farm in 1989. Layers of ash, fragments of clay pots, and dark blue glass beads were found in an excavated ravine. Fragments of glass jars were discovered from graves. A skeleton was found in another grave. The collected materials were given to the Nakhchivan State History Museum.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Book: ANAS, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. Nakhchivan Encyclopedia. ANAS. Baku. 2005. II. 316. 5-8066-1468-9.
  2. Encyclopedic dictionary of Azerbaijan toponyms. In two volumes. Volume I. p. 304. Baku: "East-West". 2007. .