The Caspian region is one that has for ages played a huge role in the history of Eurasian people. The first anthropoids appeared on the territory of modern Azerbaijan long ago. Specialists estimate that skull fragments of such a creature found in the Azykh cave are 1.5 to two million years old. The traces of ancient settlements have also been found in other areas of Azerbaijan - people lived there during the Stone Age, and from time immemorial. Signs marking numerous finds of ancient artifacts densely cover Azerbaijan's archeological map. Petroglyphs (rock carvings) made by prehistoric people in the area are particularly impressive. A whole gallery of striking rock images has been found in Gobustan. Gobustan (meaning "the ancient place") has now become a national historic preserve. The oldest rock drawings there were made roughly 10.000 years ago, while the most recent ones date back to the 6th century B.C., the Neolithic era. The carvings depict hunting scenes, images of Mother Goddess, numerous people, and all kinds of animals. Drawings of boats are especially interesting, testifying to the existence of seafaring in those ancient times. The image of the sun on boat sterns leads researchers to believe that the region was closely related to the ancient Sumerian culture. Herodotus, the father of historic science, mentioned ancient tribes which used to populate the territory of today's Azerbaijan. There were numerous tribes. They arrived, merged together, and then disappeared. The Caspian Basin has always played an important role in the migration of Eurasian tribes. In the 4th century B.C., two states simultaneously emerged in southern and northern Azerbaijan - Atropatene in the south, and the Albanian kingdom in the north. People living in the two states were cattle-breeders and farmers. Most of them were pagans and idolaters, but gradually Zoroastrianism, a strong and influential also known as fire-worship, sunk roots and spread there. Zoroaster, born on Azerbaijan's territory, was its founder. The religion then spread far beyond the region's borders, reaching Parthia, Mannai, and many ither Asian countries. It became the state religion in Iran and Atropatene. A temple of fire-worship, founded by Hindustani merchants in the 17th century, still exists in Baku. It is visited by pilgrims from Hindustan, as well as a small community of fire-worshippers that has survived in Azerbaijan. Flames burn at the temple's four outside corners and inside the temple - it was built on the site of a natural gas deposit. Azerbaijan is extremely rich in gas and oil. In ancient times, seeping oil and gas sometimes blazed up, causing believers to tremble with sacred fear. Ages later Christianity cam to the territory. In the year 640, Arabs invaded the Caucasian region. Southern Azerbaijan, the later its northern provinces (Albania), fell under the dominion of the Arab Caliphate. This was the beginning of the spread of Islam to the region. During the 8th and 9th centuries, a number of revolts for national independence from the Caliphate took place in Azerbaijan. The uprising led by national hero Babek was the strongest. The Caliphate was gradually losing its power and the states of Shirvan Shahs, Shaddadids, and Rawwadids emerged and gained independence on Azerbaijan's territory. Shirvan is a province in eastern Albania. The current capital Baku, which was part of the Shirvan Shahs State, now boasts the magnificent palace of Shirvanshahs in the old part of the city. In the 13th century, Genghis Khan and his riders rolled across Asia, spilling blood and spreading panic among the population. Azerbaijan was seized by Mongols. By they eventually left the area. Azerbaijan's history is full of tragic pages - Ottomans and Iranian also tried to conquer the country. At the beginning of the 19th century, Russian troops arrived. After Russia defeated Iran, under the Turkomanchai Treaty, Southern Azerbaijan remained in Iran's fold with Northern Azerbaijan coming under the Russian crown. Following the Soviet Union disintegration, the Republic of Azerbaijan gained independence. Independent Azerbaijan is a member of the United Nations and other international organizations. It is joining the international community as an equal partner, eager to develop mutually advantageous cooperation. Independent Azerbaijan has begun a new page of its history.