US SouthWest
june-august 2022
Texas - new mexico - arizona - colorado - utah
The southeast of Turkey always was shrouded in a layer of mystery. Once plagued by terrorism, a threat to the people and the culture, it is no longer under danger. My journey to the Southeast was more of a mission to witness its artifacts, treated as dusty bygones tucked away in a corner of a room.
Route: diyarbakir - mardin - midyat - hasankeyf - batman
Overall Map of Turkey with complete journey, with focused region outlined in a rectangle.
Areas and localities visited. Zoomed in to the Southeastern Anatolia region, bordering Syria and Iraq.
The East arcade of the courtyard reminds one of Damascus, Syria - Diyarbakir, TR
The Diyarbakir Great Mosque is among the only linear mosques in Turkey. It shows heavy signs of influence as it is very similar to the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. This is the entrance from within the courtyard.
Mardin
The urbanism of Mardin is medieval - housing units stack on each other in steps forming terraces. The entire hillside is covered by the city.
An Iwan entrance to a mosque - the Assyrian architecture show its differences from Turkish Anatolian architecture.
Modern plumbing and cabling making home at an ancient house.
Example of muqarnas used above an entry portal; in Turkey muqarnas are elements used either on pendentives or under the minaret balcony. This is a rare example.
Midyat
Curved braces are quintessentially Assyrian.
The Zeynel Bey Mausoleum
One of the only examples of Akkoyun Sultanate's Architecture predating the Ottoman Empire but following the Seljukid Empire.
Ancient Sun temple altar - origins and date unknown.