Midyat’s historic village seeks recognition

MARDİN - Anatolia News Agency

Anıtlı village is very important in terms of the history of art and science of archaeology. Students from the Middle East went there for education. Mukhtar Habib Doğan says the village was an important living area for Christians in the region. AA Photos

The historic village of Anıtlı in the eastern province of Mardin’s Midyat, which was previously named Hah, is waiting to be discovered by the tourist industry for its breathtaking sights.

Among the attractions in the village, Mor Sobo Cathedral, which served as the center of the Metropolitan community for nine centuries, and the Virgin Mary Church, which is located by a 2,000 year-old monument, captivate visitors to the region.

Sabancı Mardin City Museum Director Gani Tarkan said that Anıtlı was very important in terms of the history of art and science of archaeology. He said that the Virgin Mary Church was a magnificent structure, with significant historical value.

Some sources reported that the church had been built in the first century A.D., he said, adding, “It is located around a two-millennia-old monument. It is the only one of its kind in the world. In the church, there is a dove figure depicting Jesus on the cross. This can be found only in the church here. We have not seen a figure similar to this in this region or in any other churches in the world. The central cathedral, known as Mor Sobo Church, had been a scientific center. Students from the Middle East went there for education. The village is very rich in terms of religious heritage, which should attract tourists.”

Trips to village

The head of Artuklu University archaeology department, Associate Professor Güner Coşkunsu, said they had organized expedition trips to the Anıtlı village, which had political, religious and cultural significance in Mardin and had been exceptionally preserved in the Tur Abdin region.

He added that they had been making great efforts to promote the village to managers and artists, as well as to the tourism sector and the scientific world, to encourage interdisciplinary works and research.

The university’s fine arts faculty Deputy Dean, Associate Professor Ali Asker Bal, said that artists should definitely see this impressive village. “Architectural structures and mosaics here impressed me very much as an artist. Artists should work and get inspiration from this village. Then they can create better artistic productions,” Bal said.

Anıtlı village mukhtar Habib Doğan said that the village was an important living area for Christians in the region, adding that there were currently 18 Syrians and one Muslim resident living in the village.

He said that the old Anıtlı village was completely underground and should be discovered by archaeologists. “The Mardin Museum Directorate carried out excavation work at the Mor Sobo Cathedral. The church’s interior is being cleaned,” Doğan said.