Harran, Turkey: Ancient City of Abraham
More info on travel to Turkey: Harran is 500 miles from Istanbul, near the Syrian border. According to the Bible, Abraham settled here on his way to the promised land in Canaan about 1900 BC, making Harran one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth.
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Turkey-Şanlıurfa-Harran (The Beehive Houses of Harran) Part 9
Welcome to my travelchannel.On my channel you can find almost 1000 films of more than 70 countries. See the playlist on my youtube channel.Enjoy!
Harran Şanlıurfa
Harran is famous for its traditional 'beehive' adobe houses, constructed entirely without wood. The design of these makes them cool inside (essential in this part of the world) and is thought to have been unchanged for at least 3,000 years. Some were still in use as dwellings until the 1980s. However, those remaining today are strictly tourist exhibits, while most of Harran's population lives in a newly built small village about 2 kilometres away from the main site.At the historical site the ruins of the city walls and fortifications are still in place, with one city gate standing, along with some other structures. Excavations of a nearby 4th-century BC burial mound continue under archaeologist Dr Nurettin Yardımcı.
The new village is poor and life is hard in the hot weather on this plain. The people here are now ethnic Arabs and live by long-established traditions. It is believed that these Arabs were settled here during the 18th century by the Ottoman Empire. The women of the village are tattooed and dressed in traditional Bedouin clothes. The Assyrians who once occupied the area for thousands of years have moved to other areas, although there are some Assyrian villages in the general area.By the late 1980s the large plain of Harran had fallen into disuse as the streams of Cüllab and Deysan, its original water-supply had dried up. But the plain is irrigated by the recent Southeastern Anatolia Project and is becoming green again. Cotton and rice can now be grown.
The city was the chief home of the Mesopotamian moon god Sin, under the Assyrians and Neo-Babylonians/Chaldeans and even into Roman times.
According to an early Arabic work known as Kitab al-Magall or the Book of Rolls (part of Clementine literature), Harran was one of the cities built by Nimrod, when Peleg was 50 years old. The Syriac Cave of Treasures (c. 350) contains a similar account of Nimrod's building Harran and the other cities, but places the event when Reu was 50 years old. The Cave of Treasures adds an ancient legend that not long thereafter, Tammuz was pursued to Harran by his wife's lover, B'elshemin, and that he (Tammuz) met his fate there when the city was then burnt.
The pagan residents of Harran also maintained the tradition well into the 10th century AD, of being the site of Tammuz' death, and would conduct elaborate mourning rituals for him each year, in the month bearing his name.
However, the Islamic historian Al-Masudi in his Meadows of Gold (c. 950), as well as the Christian historian Bar Hebraeus (13th century), both recounted a legend that Harran had been built by Cainan (the father of Abraham's ancestor Shelah in some accounts), and had been named for another son of Cainan called Harran.
Sin's temple was rebuilt by several kings, among them the Assyrian Assur-bani-pal (7th century BCE) and the Neo-Babylonian Nabonidus (6th century BCE). Herodian (iv. 13, 7) mentions the town as possessing in his day a temple of the moon.
Harran was a centre of Assyrian Christianity from early on, and was the first place where purpose-built churches were constructed openly. However, although a bishop resided in the city, many people of Harran retained their ancient pagan faith during the Christian period, and ancient Mesopotamian/Assyrian gods such as Sin and Ashur were still worshipped for a time. In addition the Mandean religion, a form of Gnosticism, was born in Harran.
Premedieval Harran has been closely associated with the biblical place Haran (Hebrew: חָרָן, transliterated: Charan). Very little is known about the premedieval levels of Harran[16] and even less for the patriarchal times. (Lloyd and Brice)[17] Scholars have yet to see what physical evidence will link this village of Harran to the biblical site where Abram and his family encamped as mentioned in
Biblical Haran was where Terah, his son Abram (Abraham), his grandson Lot, and Abram's wife Sarai settled while in route to Canaan, coming from Ur of the Chaldees (Genesis 11:26--32). The region of this Haran is referred to variously as Paddan Aram and Aram Naharaim. Genesis 27:43 makes Haran the home of Laban and connects it with Isaac and Jacob: it was the home of Isaac's wife Rebekah, and their son Jacob spent twenty years in Haran working for his uncle Laban (cf. Genesis 31:38&41). The place-name should not be confused with the name of Haran (Hebrew: הָרָן), Abraham's brother and Lot's father — the two names are spelled differently in the original Hebrew. Islamic tradition does link Harran to Aran, the brother of Abraham.
Wikipedia
Seslendirme ve metin Harran Tanıtım Filmi YİBO´dan alinmistir.000 -1.15 Tesekkurler
The Cave Where Prophet Abraham Was Born, Urfa - Southeastern Turkey
Forget that Urfa dates back at least 3500 years to Hittite times, sat on the crossroad of routes through Europe, Asia and Africa. Forget that Egyptians, Alexander the Great, Greeks, Romans and Seljuk Turks marched through and left their mark. Forget that modern-day Urfa has a population of over 1.5 million people, and...
Concentrate on the fact that Urfa is known as the Prophets' City because Abraham was born in a cave here. (The Bible also says that he stayed at Harran, 50km/31 miles south of Urfa.) The cave and other legendary locatiions are visited annually by hundreds and thousands of Muslim pilgrims.
Let's begin exploring Urfa....
Harran Turkey Eastern Turkey near Syria beehive houses travel video
Harran is an amazing place to visit if you find yourself in eastern Turkey. As a traveler and history buff eastern Turkey is by far the most interesting part of the country. I feel this way because I LOVE the ancient history of Mesopotamia.
Abraham Path - Walking from Yuvacali to Urfa
Abraham's Journey - Interesting Facts
Brief overview of Abraham's Journey to the Land of Canaan in Bible history. This video presentation covers a basic history of the journeys of Abraham as recorded in the book of Genesis. More at:
Turkey Urfa Abraham's Pool
The muezzin calls to prayer at Gölbaşı, the location of Abraham's Pool in Şanlıurfa, a pilgrimage site for many devout Moslems. Near this ancient city (known as Edessa to the Greeks and Crusaders) is the traditional birthplace of Biblical Abraham. According to tradition, the patriarch was to be flung into a fire when the burning wood was magically transformed into a pool of water with fish. This pool and its fish are believed to descend from that miracle, and they are considered holy by some traditional Moslems. Video taken in September of 2004.
Turkey-Şanlıurfa-Harran (Beautiful) Part 8
Welcome to my travelchannel.On my channel you can find almost 1000 films of more than 70 countries. See the playlist on my youtube channel.Enjoy!
Harran Şanlıurfa
Harran is famous for its traditional 'beehive' adobe houses, constructed entirely without wood. The design of these makes them cool inside (essential in this part of the world) and is thought to have been unchanged for at least 3,000 years. Some were still in use as dwellings until the 1980s. However, those remaining today are strictly tourist exhibits, while most of Harran's population lives in a newly built small village about 2 kilometres away from the main site.At the historical site the ruins of the city walls and fortifications are still in place, with one city gate standing, along with some other structures. Excavations of a nearby 4th-century BC burial mound continue under archaeologist Dr Nurettin Yardımcı.
The new village is poor and life is hard in the hot weather on this plain. The people here are now ethnic Arabs and live by long-established traditions. It is believed that these Arabs were settled here during the 18th century by the Ottoman Empire. The women of the village are tattooed and dressed in traditional Bedouin clothes. The Assyrians who once occupied the area for thousands of years have moved to other areas, although there are some Assyrian villages in the general area.By the late 1980s the large plain of Harran had fallen into disuse as the streams of Cüllab and Deysan, its original water-supply had dried up. But the plain is irrigated by the recent Southeastern Anatolia Project and is becoming green again. Cotton and rice can now be grown.
The city was the chief home of the Mesopotamian moon god Sin, under the Assyrians and Neo-Babylonians/Chaldeans and even into Roman times.
According to an early Arabic work known as Kitab al-Magall or the Book of Rolls (part of Clementine literature), Harran was one of the cities built by Nimrod, when Peleg was 50 years old. The Syriac Cave of Treasures (c. 350) contains a similar account of Nimrod's building Harran and the other cities, but places the event when Reu was 50 years old. The Cave of Treasures adds an ancient legend that not long thereafter, Tammuz was pursued to Harran by his wife's lover, B'elshemin, and that he (Tammuz) met his fate there when the city was then burnt.
The pagan residents of Harran also maintained the tradition well into the 10th century AD, of being the site of Tammuz' death, and would conduct elaborate mourning rituals for him each year, in the month bearing his name.
However, the Islamic historian Al-Masudi in his Meadows of Gold (c. 950), as well as the Christian historian Bar Hebraeus (13th century), both recounted a legend that Harran had been built by Cainan (the father of Abraham's ancestor Shelah in some accounts), and had been named for another son of Cainan called Harran.
Sin's temple was rebuilt by several kings, among them the Assyrian Assur-bani-pal (7th century BCE) and the Neo-Babylonian Nabonidus (6th century BCE). Herodian (iv. 13, 7) mentions the town as possessing in his day a temple of the moon.
Harran was a centre of Assyrian Christianity from early on, and was the first place where purpose-built churches were constructed openly. However, although a bishop resided in the city, many people of Harran retained their ancient pagan faith during the Christian period, and ancient Mesopotamian/Assyrian gods such as Sin and Ashur were still worshipped for a time. In addition the Mandean religion, a form of Gnosticism, was born in Harran.
Premedieval Harran has been closely associated with the biblical place Haran (Hebrew: חָרָן, transliterated: Charan). Very little is known about the premedieval levels of Harran[16] and even less for the patriarchal times. (Lloyd and Brice)[17] Scholars have yet to see what physical evidence will link this village of Harran to the biblical site where Abram and his family encamped as mentioned in
Biblical Haran was where Terah, his son Abram (Abraham), his grandson Lot, and Abram's wife Sarai settled while in route to Canaan, coming from Ur of the Chaldees (Genesis 11:26--32). The region of this Haran is referred to variously as Paddan Aram and Aram Naharaim. Genesis 27:43 makes Haran the home of Laban and connects it with Isaac and Jacob: it was the home of Isaac's wife Rebekah, and their son Jacob spent twenty years in Haran working for his uncle Laban (cf. Genesis 31:38&41). The place-name should not be confused with the name of Haran (Hebrew: הָרָן), Abraham's brother and Lot's father — the two names are spelled differently in the original Hebrew. Islamic tradition does link Harran to Aran, the brother of Abraham.
Prior to Sennacherib's reign (704--681 BCE), Harran rebelled from the Assyrians, who reconquered the city (see 2 Kings 19:12 and Isaiah 37:12) and deprived it of many privileges -- which King Sargon II later restored.Wikipedia
The Beehive Houses of Harran, Southeastern Turkey
Harran is a short 50km/31 miles from Urfa and known for its unusual Beehive houses, influenced by Syrian architecture. Harran is one of the oldest continuously inhabited spots dating back to the Early Bronze Age 3000 B.C. It was a major commercial center and located in a prime and strategic locatiion.
The airy and spacious beehive complex was owned by one family originally built by Ahmet's (our local guide's) grandfather. ex-Marine and I made our way through the individual rooms that all interconnected. Kitchen, individual bedrooms, lounging areas. A hole at the top of each room is usually covered with a rock or stone that can be removed when it rains to cool down the inside.
Outside, the courtyard held a raised, wooden structure used as summer beds by the entire family during intense heat. How wonderful to sleep under the stars!
Abraham's Pool in Şanlıurfa - Balıklıgöl 20 October 2014
According to tradition, Nimrod had Abraham immolated on a funeral pyre, but God turned the fire into water and the burning coals into fish. The pool of sacred fish remains to this day.
20 October 2014 - Şanlıurfa - Balıklıgöl
Turkey/Şanlıurfa-Gőlbaşı Park (Home of Abraham) Part 14
Welcome to my travelchannel.On my channel you can find almost 1000 films of more than 70 countries. See the playlist on my youtube channel.Enjoy!
Şanlıurfa:
Şanlıurfa,in ancient times Edessa (Έδεσσα in Greek), is a city with 482,323 inhabitants in south-eastern Turkey, and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province. It is a city with a mixed Arab, Kurdish and Turkish population. Urfa is situated on a plain about eighty kilometres east of the Euphrates River. Urfa's climate features extremely hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters.
Climate:Şanlıurfa has a semi-arid climate. Şanlıurfa is very hot during the summer months. Temperatures in the height of summer usually reach 41.5°C (107°F). Rainfall is almost non-existent during the summer months. Winters are cool and wet. Frost is common and there is sporadic snowfall. Spring and autumn are mild and also wet.
Cuisine:As the city of Urfa is deeply rooted in history, so its unique cuisine is an amalgamation of the cuisines of the many civilizations that have ruled in Urfa. Dishes carry names in Arabic, Armenian, Syriac, and Turkish, and are often prepared in a spicy manner. It is widely believed that Urfa is the birthplace of many dishes, including Raw Kibbé (Çiğ Köfte), that according to the legend, was crafted by the Prophet Abraham from ingredients he had at hand.
Urfa is also known throughout Turkey and the bordering Syria for its very rich kebab culture, making extesive use of lamb meat, fat and offal. The offal has also a primordial place in the regular Urfa cuisine, being prepared in more than two hundred different ways.
Urfa's meze menu is also very rich, and carries a great variety, mostly unknown in other parts of Turkey, such as the Ağzı Yumuk or the Semsek.
Many vegetables are used in the Urfa cuisine, such as the 'Ecır, the Kenger, and the İsot, the legendary local red capsicum that is a smaller and darker cultivar of the Aleppo pepper that takes a purplish black hue when dried and cured. It is used to flavor many dishes, even a variety of ice cream.
The cuisine also makes an extensive use of the eggplant with more than a hundred recipes containing eggplant.
Unlike most of the Turkish cities that use different versions of regular butter in their regional cuisine, Urfa is, together with Antep, Mardin and Siirt a big user of clarified butter, made exclusively from sheep's milk, called locally Urfayağı (Urfabutter). Other than that, Urfa is a heavy consumer of quality Olive oil, that mostly arrives into the city from nearby Syria.
Among Urfa's classic sweets is the Şıllık, a coarse walnut ground covered in sweet pastry, the Kahke, flavored with aniseed and baked in a steamer, and the Külünçe, a masonry oven-baked pastry item similar to the Iraqi Kleyça.
The bitter Arab coffee Mırra and the coffee substitute drink made from wild terebinth Menengiç kahvesi are among the most common hot beverages of Urfa.
The birthplace of the prophet Abraham -- a cave to the south of the lake
Urfa castle -- built in antiquity, the current walls were constructed by the Abbasids in 814 AD.
The legendary Pool of Sacred Fish (Balıklıgöl) where Abraham was thrown into the fire by Nimrod. The pool is in the courtyard of the mosque of Halil-ur-Rahman, built by the Ayyubids in 1211 and now surrounded by the attractive Gölbaşı-gardens designed by architect Merih Karaaslan. The courtyard is where the fishes thrive. A local legend says seeing a white fish will open the door to the heavens.
Rızvaniye Mosque -- a more recent (1716) Ottoman mosque, adjoining the Balıkligöl complex.
'Ayn Zelîha -- A source nearby the historical center, named after Zulaykha, a follower of Abraham.
The Great Mosque of Urfa was built in 1170, on the site of a Christian church the Arabs called the Red Church, probably incorporating some Roman masonry. Contemporary tradition at the site identifies the well of the mosque as that into which the towel or burial cloth (mendil) of Jesus was thrown (see Image of Edessa and Shroud of Turin). In the south wall of the medrese adjoining the mosque is the fountain of Firuz Bey (1781).
Ruins of the ancient city walls.
Eight Turkish baths built in the Ottoman period.
The traditional Urfa houses were split into sections for family (harem) and visitors (selâm). There is an example open to the public next to the post office in the district of Kara Meydan.
The Temple of Nevali Çori -- Neolithic settlement dating back to 8000BC, now buried under the waters behind the Atatürk Dam, with some artefacts relocated above the waterline.
Göbekli Tepe -- The world's oldest known temple, dated 10th millennium BC (ca 11,500 years ago)
Mosque with Abraham's birth cave inside, Şanlıurfa
Şanlıurfa mosque with Abraham's birth cave enshrined in it. People come and pray on the carpets in front of the cave. Very sacred place.
Pray For Turkey 2012
On April 18th, 2007, three Christian men were murdered in Turkey, simple because they were christians. They were the first martyrs of the modern Turkish Church. 18th April 2012 is the World Day of Prayer for the Christians in Turkey. Please join us and share this video! Thanks!
Video from the Prayer for Turkey website:
Letter from the Turkish Believers to be read by Church leaders and by other Christians across the world...
From the body of Christ in Turkey, to our holy and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ around the world, grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are writing to you from Turkey - from the land of Noah, of Abraham, of Paul, of Mt. Ararat and Harran, of Antioch, Ephesus, Galatia and the Seven Churches of Revelation......
Yet today in our land of 72 million, which is 99.8% Muslim, the size of Christ's flock is only a handful. We are writing to ask, indeed to plead for your prayers.
As Turkish Christians we love our country very much. Pray for God's will to be done, and for His Kingdom to come!
Pray that the Lord's hand will be with us and a great number of people will believe and turn to the Lord.
We, the church in Turkey, have invited the worldwide church to pray for the land and the church of Turkey this day, April 18. We ask you at your church to pray for us, joining the prayers of millions around the globe. April 18 is when back in 2007 three of brothers were murdered brutally for their faith, the first martyrs of the modern Turkish church.
We are praying for you, and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding and we beg you brothers .
Pray for us! The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
2 Corinthians 1: 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many..
On behalf of the body of Christ in Turkey
Alliance of Protestan Churches (Turkey)
These are a few points to help direct your prayers for Turkey. Please feel free to pray for any other points you feel led to pray for.
1- Please pray for the blessing and peace of Turkey in general, as the Lord desires us to bless and be a blessing to all.
By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted.... Proverbs 11:11
2- Pray the Lord will display His love and mercy to the people of Turkey by pouring out His Holy Spirit upon our land, revealing His glory through healings, signs and wonders.
3- Pray the Lord breaks down the lies and the endless disinformation about Christ, the Bible and Christians that has blinded and hardened hearts in our land. Pray that God redeems the negative memories of history.
Of course, we are living in the flesh, but we do not fight in a fleshly way. For the weapons of our warfare are not those of the flesh. Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear down arguments and every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive in order to obey Christ.. 2 Co. 10:3-5
4- Pray that hearts and eyes are opened to see Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.
5- Pray for the Turkish believers who are always on the frontline to walk close to the Lord. Pray for refreshing, emboldening, strengthening, protection and encouragement.
6- Pray for more servant hearted leaders. For good role models. For faithful laborers.
7- Pray for the ongoing unity amongst the churches and for its increase and deepening.
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus that together you may, with one voice, glorify the God and Father of our Lord JesusChrist. Romans 15:5,6
Thank you for your prayers. May the Lord's hand be upon you always.
On behalf of the Body of Christ in Turkey
Alliance of Protestant Churches (Turkey)
Harran v3
The journey from Harran in Turkey to Hebron in the Land of Israel, within the framework of today's geo-political map covers Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Israel, The Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Saudia Arabia.
Today, the path originated by Abraham, is plagued by a bloody trail of war, terrorism, unimaginable cruelty and evil
Today some call for military force, others for diplomacy or conciliation. Whatever means are chosen, the road eventually requires a path to the values of Abraham.
Abraham, father of nations, the source of monotheism, the legendary ancestor of over half of humanity, who is known for his hospitality and kindness toward strangers. Abraham's values inspire understanding of humanity and tolerance, and hope for a culture of peace among the civilizations in this region..
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To walk upon the path he trod is to follow the footsteps of humankind, through the ideas, values, beliefs and cultures that have shaped us and which continue to shape us today.
Göbekli Tepe, site of archaeological site at Şanlıurfa, Turkey
stone with sculpture that may dated up to 10000BC. Probably the first temple of human?
Urfa Pool of Abraham.AVI
A view of the various pilgrims (and tourists) visiting the holy site. Legend has it the Assyrian king Nimrod had Abraham immolated on a funeral pyre, but God turned the fire into water and the burning coals into fish. Abraham himself was hurled into the air from a hill, but landed safely in a bed of roses. Whew!
Genesis 12 - Abram migrates to Canaan & visits Egypt
From NIV 1984
ART CREDITS:
Tom Lovell, 20th Century, Young Abraham Travels With Family Up Euphrates Valley
Gerard Hoet, 1728, Abram and Lot Depart Out of Haran, as in Genesis 12:4-5
József Molnár, 1850, Abraham's Journey from Ur to Canaan
Providence Lithograph Company, 1906, Abram Called To Be a Blessing, as in Genesis 12:1-8
Giovanni Bendetto Castiglione, 1652, The Peregrination of the Family of Abraham
Giovanni Muzzioli, 1875, Abraham and Sarah in the Court of Pharaoh
James Tissot, c1900, The Egyptians Admire Sarai's Beauty
Henry Davenport Northrop, 1894, Pharaoh Takes Sarah
Tom Lovell (1909 - 1997), Abraham’s Wife, Sarah, And A Slave Bargain For Cloth In A Marketplace
James Tissot, c1900, Sarai Is Taken to Pharaoh's Palace
Isaac Isaacsz, 1640, Pharaoh gives Sarah back to Abraham
God told Abraham to leave Haran
In the footsteps of Abraham
Sanliurfa Bazaar; Holy Carp; Abraham's cave
Holy city of Sanliurfa, Turkey where Muslims believe Father Abraham was born
008 Haran to Canaan
Religion, Old Testament, Kabbalah, Delusion, Cathar, Egypt, Greek Myths