HMML Global Operations: Turkey

Turkey


  • Region

    Asia
  • Country

    Turkey
  • Cities

    ‘Ain Wardo (Gülgöze), Diyarbakir, Enhil, Istanbul, Mardin, and Midyat
  • Repositories

    Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul, Chaldean Cathedral, Church of the Forty Martyrs, Meryem Ana Kilisesi, Monastery of Dayr Za‘farān, Monastery of Dayro d-Mor Gabriel, Monastery of Deir Ulzaferan, Mor Barṣawmo Library, and other church and monastic collections
  • Languages

    Persian, Italian, Kurdish, Turkish Garshuni, Armenian, Neo-Aramaic, Armeno-Turkish, Arabic Garshuni, French, Syriac, Arabic, Greek, Turkish, English, and Kurdish Garshuni
  • Project Dates

    2005–2014

Asia Minor, where the modern country of Turkey is located, once had thriving Christian communities. Centuries of conflict and persecution have greatly reduced them. HMML worked with the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul to digitize the only manuscripts still in church hands after the upheavals of the early 20th century. In 2009, HMML began its work in southeast Turkey as part of its comprehensive effort to digitize all of the Syriac manuscripts in the Tur ‘Abdin, the “mountain of the servants [of God].” Historically, this has been one of the main centers of Syriac Christianity, home of ancient Syriac communities with manuscripts of premier significance. This includes important collections at the Monastery of Dayr al-Za‘faran, the Church of the Forty Martyrs, and the Monastery of Dayro d-Mor Gabriel, which contain manuscripts that moved between monasteries and demonstrate the historic networks of monastic book exchange in the Tur ‘Abdin. The oldest manuscript in HMML's collection is from the Monastery of Meryem Ana Kilisesi (Diyarbakir), an illustrated gospel book dating to the 6th century. This extensive work in the Tur ‘Abdin has ensured that these threatened resources are available to the Syriac Christian diaspora and scholars around the globe.


Mardin
Mardin
11th–12th-c. liturgical manuscript in Syriac, Church of the Forty Martyrs, Mardin (<a href='https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/123211'>CFMM 37</a>)
11th–12th-c. liturgical manuscript in Syriac, Church of the Forty Martyrs, Mardin (CFMM 37)
Digitization at the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul
Digitization at the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul
19th-c. liturgical manuscript in Syriac, Dayro d-Mor Gabriel, Midyat (<a href='https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/122860'>MGMT 52</a>)
19th-c. liturgical manuscript in Syriac, Dayro d-Mor Gabriel, Midyat (MGMT 52)
Church at Mor Gabriel Monastery
Church at Mor Gabriel Monastery
Mor Gabriel Monastery
Mor Gabriel Monastery
Juliana Gulten digitizing at Mor Gabriel Monastery
Juliana Gulten digitizing at Mor Gabriel Monastery
Liturgical manuscript in Syriac and Arabic Garshuni, Monastery of Dayr al-Za‘faran, Mardin (<a href='https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/500790'>ZFRN 89</a>)
Liturgical manuscript in Syriac and Arabic Garshuni, Monastery of Dayr al-Za‘faran, Mardin (ZFRN 89)
HMML’s Field Director for the Middle East, Africa & South Asia, Walid Mourad, digitizing manuscripts at the Chaldean Church in Diyarbakir
HMML’s Field Director for the Middle East, Africa & South Asia, Walid Mourad, digitizing manuscripts at the Chaldean Church in Diyarbakir
11th–12th-c. liturgical manuscript in Syriac, Church of the Forty Martyrs, Mardin (<a href='https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/123211'>CFMM 37</a>)
11th–12th-c. liturgical manuscript in Syriac, Church of the Forty Martyrs, Mardin (CFMM 37)
Oldest manuscript in HMML’s collections, a 6th-c. gospel book from Meryem Ana Kilisesi, Diyarbakir (<a href='https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/125050'>DIYR 339</a>)
Oldest manuscript in HMML’s collections, a 6th-c. gospel book from Meryem Ana Kilisesi, Diyarbakir (DIYR 339)
Chaldean Cathedral of Mar Serkis, Mardin
Chaldean Cathedral of Mar Serkis, Mardin
14th-c. Armenian gospel book, Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul, Galata (<a href='https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/125456'>APIG 22</a>)
14th-c. Armenian gospel book, Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul, Galata (APIG 22)
Fr. Gabriel Akyüz celebrates liturgy at the Church of the Forty Martyrs, Mardin
Fr. Gabriel Akyüz celebrates liturgy at the Church of the Forty Martyrs, Mardin
19th-c. Syriac liturgical manuscript from Dayro d-Mor Gabriel, Midyat (<a href='https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/view/122860'>MGMT 52</a>)
19th-c. Syriac liturgical manuscript from Dayro d-Mor Gabriel, Midyat (MGMT 52)

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