European Shooting Championships open in Baku
The European Shooting Championships have officially opened in Baku. About 932 shooters from 43 countries vie for medals at European Shooting Championship 2017.
Athletes are competing in 10m, 25m, 50m rifle and pistol events at the tournament to be held from July 21 to August 4.
Azerbaijani athletes will compete in 25m, 50m, 300m shooting and all types of stand shooting, Azertac reported.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport IsmayilIsmayilov highlighted Azerbaijan's sporting accomplishments. He stressed that the country has rich experience in hosting highprofile sporting events such as the first European Games, Chess Olympiad, Islamic Solidarity Games and Formula 1 race.
In his speech, President of the International Shooting Sport Federation OlegarioVázquezRaña hailed excellent organization of the European Shooting Championships in Baku.
President of the European Shooting Confederation Vladimir Lisin thanked Azerbaijan`s National Olympic Committee and the country's Shooting Federation for hosting the championships.
The fifth and final stage of the 2017 ISSF World Cup Series took place in Gabala this year.
China topped the medal standings with eight total medals, including four gold, three silver and one bronze.
Scientists discovered ancient settlements in the southern region of Azerbaijan Yardimli. Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the ANAS discovered new monuments during the archaeological excavations.
Head of the expedition PhD. AnarAgalarzade told Trend that the work was carried out in graveyard monuments, stone box graves and mounds in Saribulag and Chichekli pastures located 2,000 meters above the sea level.
“During the excavations in mounds scientists found a large number of pottery fragments, labor tools, heat and animal bones. We suppose that these burial monuments are of a ritual character and belong to late Bronze – early Iron Ages.
The scientists also revealed two types of mounds such as stone-covered mounds and chrome plated surrounded mounds.
“All these diversities are important factors to study culture and funeral rites of people leading semi-nomadic way of life, who lived here in the II millennium-I millennium BC.
Agalarzade said that coal residues and animal bones withdrawn from the tomb monuments will be send to relevant laboratories for determining their history and functional purpose.
The head of the expedition also said that they found ancient dwelling places in Elbeyi, Jalalyurdu, Shahnishan and Darakechmez pastures.
“Today, there are modern settlements in these places and this indicates that Azerbaijani people have kept the traditions and principles of economic life for thousands of years.
Yardimli region is rich with ancient archaeologist findings. Earlier in 2014 archaeologists found more than 30 burial mounds and tombs dating back to II-I centuries BC in Yardimli’s Alar village.