Lahij, Azerbaijan

A highland village in the Caucasus range accessible by a winding mountain road from the Shamakhi lowlands, Lahij has been a center of copper craftsmanship for centuries and its population has historically spoken a distinct Iranian language, Lahiji. The cobblestone main street is lined with workshops where coppersmiths produce hand-hammered vessels, locks, and decorative objects using techniques passed between generations. The village's position in a narrow gorge, with waterfalls above and cultivated terraces on the slopes, creates a compact vernacular landscape little changed in its essential character.