Alımlı Village, located among the historical and cultural riches of Mardin, attracts attention with its architectural structure and deep history. This village is full of many caves and rock tombs and has hosted different civilizations throughout history.
for centuries AssyriansAlımlı, which is a neighbor of the city, draws attention with its stone houses that look like ruins, where no one lives except a few families today. In addition, there is an 8 thousand year old traditional tradition in the village. “Yellow Barleys” The festival forms part of the rich cultural heritage of this settlement.
General Information About Alımlı Village
Today, Mardin province Artuklu is a neighborhood within the district of alimli villagein the past Bilali Village It was known as. The presence of many caves in the village shows that this is a very old settlement. This neighborhood, which has been neighbors with Assyrians for centuries, has remarkable elements both historically and architecturally.
In addition to stone houses, rock tombs, cisterns, quarries and rock-carved living spaces reflect the rich history of the village. Today, the village, where only a few families live, draws attention with its ruined appearance and barren structure. Caves and abandoned houses bear traces of people who once lived here. Although there is no clear historical record, the caves and rock tombs in the village strengthen the idea that it may have a history dating back thousands of years.
Yellow Barleys: 8 Thousand Years of Tradition
Mesopotamia, which witnessed the birth and collapse of civilizations, “cradle of civilizations” It is referred to as. In this historical region, some of the rituals that existed in the past and are slowly disappearing today are still kept alive. In Mesopotamia, famous for its fertile lands, the importance given to agricultural production was symbolized by various rituals.
Mardin’s Alımlı Village is one of the places that maintains this rich cultural heritage. As part of an 8 thousand year old tradition in the village where production is blessed, “Ceh zera” Turkish “yellow barleys” The festival is celebrated every year. This festival is an important ritual that reveals the historical and cultural depth of the village.
This event symbolizes the beginning of the harvest period. “Bilali festivities” It is also known as and takes its name from a visit to the hill opposite the village. At another point known as the Visit of Bilali, Hz. Companions of Muhammad (pbuh) Bilal-i HabeshiIt is rumored that he recited the call to prayer and performed the prayer, but there is no definitive information on this subject.
While it is known that the festival was last held until 1958, it is stated that it has been revived in recent years. In this event that heralds the harvest season, villagers visit, pray and sacrifice for a fruitful harvest. Hundreds of people from surrounding villages also attend the festival, where a large market is set up; This three-day event takes place in a festive atmosphere where resentments are over. This tradition, which has been held again after 66 years, begins when the barley turns yellow in the first week of May.
Various events are held within the scope of the festival; Food is cooked, shared, halay dances are performed, and blessings are prayed for the harvest of barley, the first plant to grow in the Mesopotamian plain. In addition, traditional handicrafts and cooking workshops are organized, and enjoyable activities such as horseback riding, folk dances, ambling horse races and kite flying are organized for children and adults. Play stations are set up for children; Traditional games such as spinning top, shirk throwing, dodge ball, shopkeeper’s head, three stone, five stone, nine stone, marbles, skipping rope, swing, sack race, egg carrying race, handkerchief grab and leapfrog are played here.
A Village Wrapped in Legends
Another striking aspect of Alımlı Village is the legends told in the village. Villagers lived in caves in the past supernatural beings He explains that he lives and that these beings appear to people from time to time. Because of these scary stories, villagers are afraid to go to the caves; They also take special care to ensure that the names of the entities are not mentioned.
Traces of History and Architecture
Although the architecture of Alımlı (Bilali) Village is remarkable, there is no clear information about the history of the village. However, rock tombs, quarries, cisterns and living spaces carved into the rocks show that the history of this place goes very deep. Today, only a few families live in the village adjacent to the Assyrians. The village, which looks like a ruin, continues to hide the traces of life with caves and abandoned houses.
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