Hasankeyf (town)
Hasankeyf is a historic town located in western Turkey, known for its remarkable 12,000 years of continuous habitation and rich archaeological significance. Throughout its long history, Hasankeyf has been occupied by various cultures, including Neolithic peoples, Assyrians, Romans, and several Islamic caliphates, which has resulted in a diverse array of historical monuments and artifacts. The town is surrounded by picturesque landscapes, featuring limestone cliffs with ancient caves and notable structures like a Roman fortress, a Seljuk palace, and the fifteenth-century mausoleum of Zeynel Bey.
However, Hasankeyf faces significant challenges due to the construction of the Ilisu hydroelectric dam, which is set to inundate the town and displace approximately 3,000 residents, among others from nearby settlements. Despite extensive efforts from local residents and international advocates to halt the dam's construction, the project has progressed, with completion in 2019. The dam not only threatens to submerge historical sites but also poses risks to the local economy, heavily reliant on tourism. While the Turkish government has proposed plans to support the displaced residents and maintain the tourism sector, many locals remain skeptical about the government’s promises and the future of their ancestral home.
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Hasankeyf (town)
Hasankeyf(pronounced hass-ann-kaif) is a town in western Turkey that—despite having a history of 12,000 years of continuous inhabitation—was being threatened by the construction of the Ilisu hydroelectric dam that will inundate and destroy the town when it becomes operational in 2020. Local residents have fought the construction of the government-sponsored dam for more than fifteen years. Despite numerous high-profile attempts to prevent the damming of the nearby Tigris River, construction on the dam was completed in October 2019. The 453-foot high (138-meter) dam is projected to create a 121-square-mile (313-square-kilometer) reservoir that will displace 15,000 people in 199 settlements, including the 3,000 residents of Hasankeyf. When operational, it will generate between 3,800-4,200 gigawatts hours of electricity annually. Some Hasankeyf residents deemed eligible for assistance by the Turkish government were relocated to a newly constructed community across the Tigris River at a cost of $87.8 million. Although some of the area’s historical monuments were moved to higher ground, many will be permanently buried beneath the reservoir’s waters.
Overview
Over its millennia-long history, Hasankeyf has been occupied by more than twenty different cultures, including Neolithic peoples, Assyrians, Romans, the Ummayad and Abbasid caliphates, Turkic Seljuks, Ottomans, and, most recently, its current Turkish residents. As a result of its continued occupation, the area is an archaeological treasure chest. Nearby limestone cliffs contain thousands of humanmade caves dating to the Neolithic era more than 12,000 years ago. Other regional archaeological monuments include the remains of a fourth-century CE Roman fortress situated on a cliff top; a twelfth-century Seljuk palace; the twelfth-century Old Tigris Bridge; the El Rizk mosque, which was constructed in the fifteen century by Ayyubid Sultan Suleyman; and the 17-foot (5.2-meter) blue-tiled mausoleum of Zeynel Bey, a prominent Turkic prince of the fifteenth century. In addition to its historical treasures, the area is noted for its rolling hills and natural beauty. In 1981, Turkey declared the area a national conservation area.
The area’s many attractions have also made it a tourist center, with tourism serving to drive the economy of Hasankeyf. Despite the potential disruption to the region’s economy, Turkey announced plans to construct the Ilisu dam in 1998, with construction beginning in 2006. In response, residents of Hasankeyf sought out international assistance to prevent the construction. They established the Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive in 2006 and lobbied politicians in Turkey and Europe for help.
The foundation applied for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage status, which would have prevented any development of the region; although the archaeological and cultural heritage of the site met nine of the ten criteria for World Heritage status, the Turkish government declined to formally apply. Instead, it moved ahead with the $1.3 billion project. A last-ditch legal challenge at the European Court of Human Rights failed to sway the Turkish government, ultimately paving the way for construction to restart after more than a decade of delays. Turkey has promised residents of Hasankeyf that it will spend millions to preserve the area’s tourist industry and that the dam will bring new jobs to the region. However, many residents, already frustrated by what they perceive as a campaign of deception by the government, remain dubious about such promises.
Bibliography
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Fahim, Kareem. “Ancient Turkish Town Is About to Disappear After Being Flooded by Dam.” Independent, 27 Nov. 2019, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/turkey-hasankeyf-ilisu-dam-ancient-town-flood-byzantine-roman-a9220376.html/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.
Fox, Tessa. “‘They Are Barbaric’: Turkey Prepares to Flood 12,000-Year-Old City to Build Dam.” The Guardian, 12 Sept. 2019, www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/sep/12/they-are-barbaric-turkey-prepares-to-flood-12000-year-old-city-to-build-dam. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.
Harvey, Ian. “Outrage as 12,000-yr-old Historical Settlement May Soon Be Flooded.” Vintage News, 4 Sept. 2019, www.thevintagenews.com/2019/09/04/hasankeyf/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.
“Hasankeyf.” Turkish Cultural Foundation, 2019, turkishculture.org/archaeology/hasankeyf-1082.htm. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.
Sevinclidir, Pinar. “Despair as Turkey Prepares to Flood One of the World’s Oldest Cities.” CBS News, 27 Aug. 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/turkey-flood-ancient-city-hasankeyf-over-outcry-from-displaced-residents-history-buffs-2019-08-27/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.
Tur, Selman, and Havva Kara Aydin. “Turkey’s Hasankeyf Museum Showcases Ancient Artifacts.” Anadolu Agency, 24 Oct. 2019, www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkeys-hasankeyf-museum-showcases-ancient-artifacts/1624378/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.
Willsher, Kim. “One of the Oldest Known Human Settlements Is About to Be Swallowed Whole.” Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2019, www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-10-03/ancient-city-hasankeyf-underwater. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.