The history of the study of fossil paleontological remains in Azerbaijan is divided into several stages depending on the degree of research intensity, the scale of stratigraphic coverage, and the participation of national personnel. In the 50-80s of the twentieth century, the priority was to unite specialists according to age groups of fossil remains (e.g., Jurassic ammonites, Cretaceous inoceramas, ammonites and belemnites, Paleogene nummulites, Miocene pelecypods, etc.). Later, by the end of the nineties of the last century, the priorities of fundamental research shifted somewhat to the study of ecosystem evolution, paleobiology, event biostratigraphy, etc.

Such coryphees as academicians: M.M.Aliyev, G.A.Alizadeh, professors A.G.Khalilov, D.M.Khalilov, D.A.Agalarova stood at the origins of development of paleontological and stratigraphic researches in Azerbaijan. Activity of these scientists was accompanied by rapid development of paleontological and stratigraphic ideas, study of invertebrate fossil fauna, phytofossils (including nanofossils). Thus, by the end of the twentieth century, almost all archistratigraphic groups of fauna, their evolution, as well as paleoecological, paleobiological, paleobiogeochemical and other aspects of their habitat conditions had already been studied in detail.

As they say today, it really was the "golden age" of science, including paleontological and stratigraphic one. The main actor of this progress in science and its practical affairs, of course, was a researcher – an expert in his field, and only highly qualified personnel of Azerbaijani paleontological and stratigraphic science dynamically raised the bar of its achievements higher and higher. Among them are prominent paleontologists: T.A.Gasanov, K.M.Sultanov, H.Aliulla, B.G.Vekilov, A.B.Abbasov, R.G.Babaev, Sh.A.Babaev, M.R.A. Abdulkasumzadeh, G.A.Aliev, R.A.Aliev, R.O.Koshkarly, R.N.Mamedzadeh, O.B.Aliev, E.Z.Ataeva, H.Sh.Aliyev and others.

Thus, the wide scope of fundamental paleontological and stratigraphic research allowed Azerbaijani scientists to create a serious paleontological and stratigraphic base of geological research in Azerbaijan. The continuation of the systematic and systematic development of the regional geological study of the territory of Azerbaijan ultimately led to the creation of a fundamental formation-stratigraphic and geochronological basis, based on a set of modern methods and achievements in the field of paleontology, stratigraphy, isotope geochronology, facies-paleogeographic analysis and historical and geological synthesis.

Keywords: Paleontology, stratigraphy, Azerbaijan, Productive Series, climatostratigraphic scheme, Azykh

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