From Babylon to Kurdistan

Iraq’s southern marshes
The marshlands of southern Iraq were once inhabited by Sumerian fisherfolk around 6000 years ago. The Marsh Arabs, ancestors of the Sumerians and numbering at around 12,000, also inhabited this area until intense drainage occurred throughout the 1980s and 1990s. They built cathedral-shaped houses from reeds and bitumen covered-boats from which they would catch their fish using spears. The thin-grained rice grown in the area was considered one of the finest and most nutritious in the world. For eight years, from 1980, the Iran-Iraq War saw the marshes become a base for attacks by Iranian armed forces, and the area was also a hiding spot for deserters of the Iraqi army and opponents of the regime. A land reclamation project that was started decades earlier, which drained waterlogged farmland north and west of the marshes, was later extended and modified by the central government to drain the marshes, using extensive engineering works and hundreds of miles of dams. This heavily affected the unique culture found here, as the number of marsh dwellers decreased substantially, and much of the wildlife was lost. There are still a number of marsh Arabs eking out an existence here, although estimates of the population vary.

Ur
With dwellings that date back over 6000 years, Ur was also one of the leading religious Sumerian cities of Mesopotamia. Ur maintained its importance, even when political importance shifted to other Babylonian and Assyrian centres and great care was taken by kings of its temples and institutions. Ur has a magnificent, well-preserved Ziggurat which was first constructed by Ur Nammu, founder of the third dynasty, and was restored in the 6th century BC by Nebuchadnezzar II. The site also contains the remains of several temples, including one dedicated to the moon god, and a great oval-shaped city wall. Ur is also the site of a royal cemetery dating back about 4500 years and once containing 2000 graves. Excavation at the site revealed thousands of rare objects that now enrich museums around the world. Objects found include musical instruments such as the lyre of Ur, precious jewellery, gold and silver ornaments, and gem-encrusted daggers.

Uruk

Uruk is one of the most famous Sumerian cities of ancient Iraq and was continuously inhabited from around 4000 BC up to the 5th century. With excavations starting around the mid- 19th century and continuing until present day, some of the earliest Sumerian pottery was discovered here as well as tablets that date back to the invention of writing. The site is mentioned in the bible as ‘Erech’ and it was also the centre of worship for goddess Inanna, or Ishtar. Traces of Uruk’s famous walls, which ancient texts say were first built over 4700 years ago by Sumerian King Giglamesh, can still be seen today. Other sites of interest include the 16m tall ziggurat of Inanna which is around 4000 years old, ruins of a temple devoted to the sky god Anu, built around 5000 years ago, and a more recent decorative brick temple with ornamental arches and columns, dating back to around AD110, displaying pictures of animals and geometrical patterns.

Erbil

Erbil lays claim to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth , with a citadel that has been occupied for around seven thousand years. Over the years it has seen a succession of different civilisations holding sway here, from Assyrians to Medes to Greeks, to Romans, Armenians, Ottomans and British – Erbil is a living history lesson and exemplifies the complex history of this part of the world. Also known as Hewler, Erbil is dominated by its citadel, a vast and imposing fortress that sits atop a hill above the town and is one of Kurdistan’s most recognisable monuments. Erbil Citadel was once a Sumerian city called Urbellum or Arbella and it is believed that Abraham passed through this city on one of his journeys. It once housed the Temple of the Goddess Ishtar and was the city Darius III fled to after facing defeat by Alexander the Great on the nearby plains of Gaugemela. A massive restoration project is currently being undertaken by UNESCO. The citadel is also home to the Textile Museum, housed in a 220 year old residence features ancient Kurdish fighting tools, traditional dresses, handmade rugs from different regions and eras of Kurdish history, jewellery and photos. In addition to Kurdish antiquities there are a number of pieces from Iran and Turkey. The city occupied a strategic location on regional trading routes, connecting Baghdad and Mosul, and is today home to the Kurdish Parliament, which since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein has far more power than in previous days.

Erbil is today a fast growing city with multinational organisations taking an interest in its development, but it still very much retains its traditions – the bazaars are still far more important than any shopping centre could be and it is here that one can really feel the spirit of the country, as traders compete for customers on the look out for goods of all manner, their wares stacked high and with small boys delivering tea between the stalls. Also worth seeing is the 36 metre high Choli Minaret, dating back to the 12^th century and towering above the surrounding buildings. Erbil is a fascinating place, very much at a crossroads between ancient tradition and modern consumerism, and well worth thorough exploration.

Saladin

Saladin was a Kurdish Muslim, who became the first sultan of Egypt & Syria, & founded the Ayoubi Dynasty. He led Muslim & Arab opposition to the Franks & other European Crusaders in the Levant. At the height of his power, his sultanate included Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Hijaz & Yemen. Under his leadership, his forces defeated the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin, leading the way to the capture of Palestine & Jerusalem. Many have seen famous and better preserved examples of Salahadin fortresses – few have visited the place that gave birth to this incredible historic figure.

Dohuk

Not far from the Turkish border, the town of Dohuk lies in a wide valley surrounded by mountains. Traditionally the region has been associated with agriculture and is locally famous for its grapes – other crops grown here include rice, tobacco, wheat and all manner of fruit and vegetables. Once known for its colourful houses, Dohuk grew in importance during the period of sanctions imposed on Iraq – its proximity to the border meant that it was a hub for smuggling goods.

Jirwana

Jirwana is reputedly the oldest aqueduct and bridge ruin in the world built in the time of Sennacharib (690 BC). The site was once part of a vast complex that was built to water the gardens of Nineveh. Huge stones transported by hand from quarries hundreds of miles away are in scripted with the story of this amazing feat.

Here you will find the secret of the ‘hidden message of Sennacharib’ known by only a few living scholars in the world – join them in this amazing revelation.

Rabban Hormizd

Rabban Hormizd Monastery is an important site of the Chaldean Church. It is carved out of the mountains about 2 miles from Alqosh, Iraq, 28 miles north of Mosul. Founded around 640 AD, the monastery has been the official residence of the patriarchs of the Eliya line of the Church of the East from 1551 to the 18th century, and after the union with Rome in the early 19th century, it became a prominent monastery of the Chaldean Church. It is named after Rabban Hormizd (rabban is the Syriac for monk) who founded it in the seventh century and is buried within the sanctuary.

Amadiya

The town of Amadiya (dating from the Assyrian era) is located on a high promontory above a breathtaking landscape and fed by a geothermal spring originating far below the mountain. Situated around 1400 m above sea level and surrounded by heights it was once an almost impenetrable fortress. The city Gate (Bab Zebar) is located in the eastern side of the City of Amadiya. Its width was 4 metres, built by Imaduddin Al- Zanki in 5-600 AD. One of Amadiya’s most impressive sites is the 30 metre high minaret in the centre of the town, with intricate patterns as decoration; it was built in the time of Sultan Hussein Wali and was part of an already existing ancient city.

Suleimaniyah

Suleimaniyah, or Suly as it is affectionately known to residents, was founded in the late 18^th century and so compared to Erbil is a real youngster – it was founded by Ibrahim Pasha Baban and named after his father Suleiman Pasha. An important city and taking a pivotal role in the promotion of Kurdish culture now that the old Ba’athist regime has fallen, it is considered the cultural capital of northern Iraq . It was from here that Mahmud Barzanji sparked the first rebellion against the British occupation on May 22, 1919 with the arrest of British officials in Sulaymaniyah and declared an independent Kurdistan that same year. The British occupation declared Sheikh Hama Tahmas as king in order to silence the residents of Suleimaniyah and stop their rebellion, but Sheikh Mahmud acted and ruled independently from the British, and wanted them out of the kingdom. As a result, in the same year, he was exiled for several years to the Andaman islands in India by the British occupation, only to return and raise another unsuccessful rebellion in 1923. Today the city is home to a couple of fascinating museums – the Amna Suraka which provides an important insight into the horrific treatment of the Kurds under Saddam Hussein, and the Slemani Musuem which houses Kurdish and Persian artefacts.