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Derbent
Derbent , city (1989 pop. 78,000), SE European Russia, in Dagestan, on the Caspian Sea. It stands on a narrow strip of land that forms a natural pass (the Caspian or Iron Gates) between the Caucasian foothills and the sea. Orchards and vineyards are cultivated. Industries include food processing and the production of woolen textiles and bricks. There are oil and natural gas deposits in the area. Derbent was founded (5th or 6th cent. AD) by the Persians as a strategic fortress at the Iron Gates. There are remains of the Caucasian Wall (also called Alexander's Wall), built by the Persians in the 6th cent. as a bulwark against northern invaders. The Arabs, who took Derbent in 728, made it a commercial and cultural center. Passing (1220) to the Mongols and later recovered by Persia, Derbent was briefly held (1722) by Peter I of Russia and was annexed to Russia in 1806. Ancient caravansaries and baths and a mosque (8th cent.) have been preserved. |
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"Derbent." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Derbent." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Derbent.html "Derbent." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Derbent.html |
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Derbent
Derbent, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Russia (Dagestan): the first name, al‐Bāb, meant ‘The Gate’ and the second, Bāb al‐Abwāb, ‘Gate of Gates’. The present name is derived from the Persian darband ‘gate’. This alludes to the pass, only 1½ miles (2.5 km) wide, between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains. A fortress was built in 438 to control the passage of nomads, this being the principal caravan route for trade between south‐east Europe and south‐west Asia.
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JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Derbent." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Derbent." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Derbent.html JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Derbent." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Derbent.html |
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