Roofing in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, shares the South Caucasus tradition of corbelled timber lantern roofs (called karadam here) and has a distinctive flat-roofed house type on the Absheron peninsula around Baku.

Climate and hazards

The Absheron peninsula has a dry subtropical climate with hot, dry summers and frequent strong winds. Absheron also has rich deposits of limestone, the traditional building stone. Wind is a direct roofing concern: on the flat roofs of Absheron summer houses, coverings had to resist being lifted by gusts.

Roofing history

Corbelled roofs. The corbelled timber roof with a central light and smoke opening, known as the darbazi in Georgia and glkhatun in Armenia, is called karadam in Azerbaijan. See darbazi.

Absheron bağ evləri. After Azerbaijan joined the Soviet Union in 1922, land on the Absheron peninsula was leased for summer garden houses (bağ evləri). These were small white houses with verandas and flat roofs, and the roofs were covered with asphalt so the wind could not tear them away.

Modern. Baku's low-rise housing is the subject of recent research arguing that current design often ignores the climate and terrain that shaped traditional Absheron building.

Traditional and vernacular roofs

• Karadam: corbelled log lantern roof.
• Flat Absheron roofs: on limestone houses, with asphalt-type coverings against wind.

Notable roofs

The Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower, and the Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan's Palace, are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Local roofing terms

• karadam - corbelled timber lantern roof
• bağ evi (plural bağ evləri) - Absheron garden house

Sources and gaps

Data on current roofing materials, national building codes for roofs, information on domestic roofing manufacturers and descriptions of roof construction at the Baku and Sheki World Heritage sites were not found in published sources. Traditional use of local natural bitumen (kir) on Absheron roofs is mentioned in general accounts, but detailed descriptions: published information is limited.