The colorful culture of the Turkic peoples, rooted in the depths of centuries, has absorbed the best traditions of the East and West. The Turkic world is the cradle of poets, writers, they gave the world great theorists of music and art. Elements and cults of various beliefs are reflected in the cultural life of the Turkic peoples. The presented article examines the changes that took place in the cultural life of the peoples of Central Asia and Tatarstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

During archaeological researches in the territory of Azerbaijan, various gold products, especially ornaments, belonging to all stages, starting from the late Chalcolithic period, were discovered. Gold products were mostly found in grave monuments, and in rare cases in settlements. These products are of great importance for the study of development of the jewelry handicraft in different periods, the history of social inequality in ancient societies. The article presents gold ornaments collected from the necropolis in the territory of Shamkir region, which was destroyed by natural and anthropogenic influences. Parallels of some of them are known from the Early Iron Age monuments belonging to the last stage of Khojaly-Gedabey culture, and analogues of most of them are known from the ancient and early medieval monuments of Caucasian Albania.

Thanks to its political structure and legal system, the ancient Roman Empire was able to govern people of different ethnic backgrounds, languages, religions, and cultures throughout the vast geography it ruled. Ancient Roman law, which has a history of about two thousand years, had a strong influence on the formation of the Western legal system and culture with its public administration, religion and culture. From a city-state to an empire, Rome influenced the language, literature, laws, and administration of many lands. In addition, one of the biggest factors in the spread of Christianity in Europe and its formation as a unifying force was the Roman Empire. It is important to study the relationship between state and religion when studying the history and public administration of Rome, which has a rich tradition of statehood. Because religion had a special place in the life of the Romans. Even Rome’s political history is directly related to its religious past.

This article examines the role of Mahdist beliefs in the early history of Islam in the context of political struggle and the impact of the concept of salvation on the events of that period. Man instinctively awaits a savior in times of political and economic difficulties caused by natural disasters, cataclysms and wars, and this fact is one of the most pressing problems for religions. Mahdist beliefs is common for religions and beliefs such as salvation can be seen in most religions. It should be noted that faith in the Mahdi is superficial in some religions and ideological movements; it is very strong in some religions. Mahdist beliefs became one of the basic principles of some religions and proved to be a source of energy for these religions. Of course, the religious approach to the savior is ambiguous and there are common features and differences. Issues such as the identity and characteristics of the savior who will save the world are different depending on religion. The article touches upon issues such as use of the concept of Mahdist beliefs in various directions by political groups in the struggle for power in the Islamic world since the first century AH. In addition, the article examines such problems as the manifestation of the concept of Mahdist beliefs in the political propaganda of the Umayyads and Abbasids in the context of the struggle for power.

The article considers religious consciousness from a philosophical point of view as one of the forms of social consciousness. It is noted that the role of religious consciousness in the life of people and society is determined by socio-economic and cultural factors. They can be transformed too. Analyzing the relationship between the components and levels of religious consciousness, we can conclude that in the forms of development of religion, they dialectically penetrate each other. Religious consciousness has theoretical and practical levels. The structure of religious consciousness, the interaction of religious ideology and religious psychology, the weakening of the influence of atheism in public life as a worldview, the strengthening of religiosity, the relationship between religious and secular consciousness in Azerbaijan in the absence of religion, the development of interreligious dialogue and tolerance have become the object of research.

The article is devoted to the borders, territory, and the management system of the “Armenian region” created by the official circles of the Russian Empire after the Russian occupation of the territories of the Irevan and Nakhchivan khanates. The «Armenian region» created on the border of the Ottoman Empire and the state of Gajar, included the Irevan and Nakhchevan provinces, as well as the Ordubad district. The «Armenian region» was divided into districts, magals and villages, the region was controlled by the Russian military. The laws and regulations of the Russian Empire were implemented throughout the region.

Among the unique manuscripts stored at the Institute of Manuscripts named after Muhammad Fuzuli of ANAS, there are manuscripts of a number of famous Karabakh authors who have rendered great service in various fields of science. The manuscripts of the works of these authors, which occupy a special place in the history of science, can also be considered excellent examples of the world’s book treasury from the point of view of printing. Turkish, Arabic and Persian manuscripts by the authors of Karabakh were included in this study. Information is provided on the authors and texts of works written in their languages, including manuscripts.Along with these copies of our cultural and scientific heritage, the study mentioned the names of the scribes who copied the Karabakh manuscripts.

Architectural monuments play a significant role in the study of the history of Caucasian Albania which were built during that period. Architectural monuments that belong to the herritage of Caucasian Albania are analysed by periods and architectural differences between Albanian and Gregorian churches are noted. Historically and today, Armenians attempt to falsify the material and cultural heritage of the history of Caucasian Albania and “appropriate” Albania. The main goal of the Armenians is to completely deny the Albanian heritage and thereby to present Christian monuments in the territory of Azerbaijan as historical samples of «Eastern Armenia». Once again research shows that the architectural features of Albanian monuments and Gregorian churches are completely different. As architectural differences, the article highlights rectangular altar apses (semi-circular, polyhedral altar apses), round types of temples, as well as ornaments used in the inner and outer parts of temples.

The scientist and encyclopaedist Nasiraddin Mohammed Tusi (1201-1274) took a specific place in the history of world science and the history of culture by valuable works he created, the Maragha Observatory and the school he established under it. Thus, the Azerbaijani thinker took part in the preparation of scholars in various fields of science. Representatives of this school, as their teachers, by their scientific activities and works contributed to the development of world science. Ideological and theoretical sources of the legacy of Nasreddin Tusi historically cover the period from the earliest period to the present, and the ideological direction covers all religious and secular aspects. Verses from Quran, Hadiths from Prophet Mohammed, Khalifa Ali and other religious figures were cited in his works. Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Hippocrates, Euclid, Galen, Ptolemy, especially Aristotle and his eastern followers – Kindi, Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Miskawayh and other peripatetics, were respectfully mentioned by the Azerbaijani philosopher. Nasreddin Tusi also used Sufi and Ishraqi ideas. There is a great influence of the Ishraki philosophy, created in the XII century by Shahabaddin Yahya Suhrawardi, on Nasraddin Tusi and representatives of his school. In philosophical works of the encyclopedic scholar, the student of Tusi Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi, there are religious motives, as well as motives of peripateticism and illuminationism. Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi’s commentary on the book “Hikmat al-Ishrak” is widely covered in historical sources for its scientific character.

The article is devoted to the work of the outstanding poet, scientist-encyclopedist Nizami Ganjavi, who made a significant contribution to world culture. Nizami had a great influence on world literature. His works are saturated with moral ideas of humanism, which he drew from the Holy Book of Muslims - the Quran. Many major poets, such as Amir Kosrow Dehlavi, Saadi Shirazi, Jalaladdin Rumi, Alisher Navoiy, Abdurrahman Jami, Muhammad Fuzuli, Dante, William Shakespeare, used his themes, learned from him the construction of epic works, a combination of important social and philosophical problems with the depiction of real life phenomena, description of living human images.

Elite and mass cultures are realized through various forms of communication. Development takes place through the mass media, which play an important role in this process. Due to the transmission of innovation by the elite, the transformation into mass becomes gradual. Cognitive development plays an important role in this time. In the development of elite and popular cultures, it is important to establish purposeful communication through national radio, television channels, fine arts, decorative and applied arts, music, museum activities, cinema, theater, and Internet resources. Communication is still actual as a «product» of cognitive processes and as an important means of scientific, artistic and creative interaction between elite and mass cultures. Therefore, elite and mass cultures will develop in the future in the form of interaction through communication. In the process of formation, development and progress of cultures through communication, scientific and artistic-creative information and knowledge, skills, habits and experiences are transmitted. In modern times, information and materials that meet the needs are transmitted through communication. At the present time, in the age of technical progress, communication processes have become more complex. This plays an important role in the rapid development and spread of elite and popular cultures. Thus, in the current situation, the strength of the culture of communication must be properly assessed. The culture of communication, which is an important part of morality, has become a necessity for everyone. In the process of cultural communication, it is important that people treat each other at a high level of ethical norms. Each of us must avoid the use of rude and vulgar expressions in mass culture. Communication is a daily and necessary need of all people, regardless of the masses and the elite section.

The article assesses the origins of ideas about the worldview of mollanasreddinists, socio-philosophical heritage from the point of view of modernity. It is shown that in Soviet times, for a long period of time to study religion and Islam from a materialisticatheistic point of view was considered wrong. It is noted that the representatives of the school of mollanasreddinists in general were not atheists in their attitude to religion and Islam, and called on the people and society to progress, criticizing religious fanaticism, superstition and ignorance.