XVIII Book of the Southern Azerbaijan Folklore: Chapters of the epic “Koroglu” has been published. The book systematically brings together the separate branches of the epic “Koroglu” epic, collected from various ashiq environments of Southern Azerbaijan. As it is known, this epic, which is widespread across a wide geography and has numerous variants and versions, combines both heroic and love motifs. The book contains examples of epics recorded from the repertoire of master ashiqs representing the ashiq environments of Tabriz-Garadagh, Urmia, Save-Gum, Shahsevan and other regions.

In the 19^th century, the work of orientalist scholar Alexander Khodzko was an important work in the scientific collection of South Azerbaijani variants of the epic “Koroglu” and its introduction in Europe and the Paris and Tbilisi manuscripts were included in scientific circulation. Despite historical and political limitations, significant work was done in the subsequent period to collect, study and publish various branches of the epic “Koroglu” from ashiq meetings in Southern Azerbaijan.

In the book, published by the Institute of Folklore as the XVIII volume of the Southern Azerbaijan folklore series, the richness and diversity of the Southern Azerbaijan ashiq tradition are systematically presented, including “Ali Kishi’s Journey to Tabriz”, “Koroglu’s Journey to Istanbul” (Bringing Nigar Khanum to Chanlibel), “Koroglu’s Journey to Dagestan” (Bringing Momina Khanum to Chanlibel), two versions of “Koroglu’s Turkmen Journey”, “Koroglu’s Mehter (Bolu) Branch”, “Giziroglu Mustafa Bey”, “Koroglu’s Old Age” and “Jengi Koroglu”.

It should be noted that in the book, the area of distribution, historical development stages, variants and versions of the epic “Koroglu” in the folklore environment of Southern Azerbaijan are scientifically analyzed by Doctor of Sciences in Philology, Associate Professor Matanat Abbasova. At the same time, ashiq melodies, musical traditions and syncretic folklore features related to the epic are also investigated extensively.

The project manager of the book is Doctor of Sciences in Philology Hikmat Guliyev, compiled by Doctor of Sciences in Philology, Associate Professor Matanat Abbasova, editor is Lala Shabanova. At the same time Lala Shabanova, Leyla Ashurova and Saadat Ibrahimli participated in the transcription of audio folklore materials into text.

The publication is a valuable scientific source for folklorists, Turkology and literature researchers, university teachers and students, as well as a wide audience of readers interested in Azerbaijani oral folk art.