Balikh
Encyclopedia
The Balikh River is a perennial river that originates in the spring of 'Ayn al-'Arus (Syria
). It flows due south and joins the Euphrates at the modern town of Ar-Raqqah. After the Khabur River
, the Balikh is the largest tributary to the Euphrates on Syrian soil. It is an important source of water and large parts have recently been subjected to canalization.
spring of 'Ayn al-'Arus, just south of the Syro-Turkish border. Additionally, the Balikh receives water from a number of periodical streams and wadis that drain the Harran Plain to the north, as well as the plains to the west and east of the river valley. These streams are the Jullab, the Wadi Qaramogh, and the Wadi al-Kheder.
A few kilometres south of 'Ayn al-'Arus, the Balikh is joined by the channel of the Jullab. This small river rises from springs north of Şanlıurfa
, but already runs dry at Harran
, before it can reach the Balikh. Numerous now dried-up wells in the old city of Harran suggest, however, that the water table may have been significantly higher in the past.
The Wadi al-Kheder drains the plain to the east of the Balikh Valley, and is fed by the Wadi al-Burj and the Wadi al-Hamar, which in turn is fed by the Wadi Chuera. These wadis, as well as the Wadi Qaramogh
, can transport considerable amounts of water after heavy rainfall, and large limestone blocks can be found in their lower courses.
in the Wadi Hamad close to the Balikh were important cities. In the classical Antiquity the region was called Osrhoene
with the capital ar-Ruha'
and after the Islamic conquest in the 7th c. CE the region was named after an Arab tribe Diyar Mudar, the land of the Mudar.
Over the millennia the region saw always an interaction between nomadic tribes and settled population. One sometimes got the upper hand over the other.
During the Roman and Islamic history, the towns of Ar-Ruha' and Harran arose in the Balikh valley to importance. Harran was traditionally thought to be where Abraham lived just before moving to Canaan. It is also thought to be where the wives of Isaac and Jacob were born. Ar-Ruha' is thought to be the birthplace of Abraham according to Muslim tradition. In 762 the Caliph al-Mansur
decided to build a garrison city at the junction of the Euphrates, Ar-Rafiqa, which merged with the Hellenistic city Kallinikos to the urban agglomeration Ar-Raqqah.
spent six weeks investigating five archaeological sites dating from the seventh to the second millennium BC.
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
). It flows due south and joins the Euphrates at the modern town of Ar-Raqqah. After the Khabur River
Khabur River
The Khabur River , , , ) is the largest perennial tributary to the Euphrates in Syrian territory. Although the Khabur originates in Turkey, the karstic springs around Ra's al-'Ayn are the river's main source of water. Several important wadis join the Khabur north of Al-Hasakah, together creating...
, the Balikh is the largest tributary to the Euphrates on Syrian soil. It is an important source of water and large parts have recently been subjected to canalization.
Geography
The primary source of the Balikh River is the karsticKarst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
spring of 'Ayn al-'Arus, just south of the Syro-Turkish border. Additionally, the Balikh receives water from a number of periodical streams and wadis that drain the Harran Plain to the north, as well as the plains to the west and east of the river valley. These streams are the Jullab, the Wadi Qaramogh, and the Wadi al-Kheder.
A few kilometres south of 'Ayn al-'Arus, the Balikh is joined by the channel of the Jullab. This small river rises from springs north of Şanlıurfa
Sanliurfa
Şanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language , in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323 inhabitants Şanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language (Syriac ܐܘܪܗܝ Urhoy,Armenian Ուռհա Owr'ha, Arabic الرها ar-Ruhā), in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323...
, but already runs dry at Harran
Harran
Harran was a major ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia whose site is near the modern village of Altınbaşak, Turkey, 24 miles southeast of Şanlıurfa...
, before it can reach the Balikh. Numerous now dried-up wells in the old city of Harran suggest, however, that the water table may have been significantly higher in the past.
The Wadi al-Kheder drains the plain to the east of the Balikh Valley, and is fed by the Wadi al-Burj and the Wadi al-Hamar, which in turn is fed by the Wadi Chuera. These wadis, as well as the Wadi Qaramogh
Wadi Qaramogh
The Wadi Qaramogh is a tributary of the Balikh River in Syria. Wadi Qaramogh can transport considerable amounts of water after heavy rainfall, and large limestone blocks can be found in its lower course....
, can transport considerable amounts of water after heavy rainfall, and large limestone blocks can be found in their lower courses.
History
The Balikh river forms the live stream of a rich cultural region. To the left and right bank of the Balikh river are settlement mounts going back at least to the 6th millennium BC. One of the oldest is currently excavated by Peter Akkermans, called Tell Sabi Abyad. In the 3rd millennium ancient Tuttul (3rd millennium) close to present-day ar-Raqqah at the delta of the Balikh and in the north Tell ChueraTell Chuera
Tell Chuera is an ancient Near Eastern tell site in Ar Raqqah Governorate, northern Syria. It lies between the Balikh and Khabur rivers.-History:...
in the Wadi Hamad close to the Balikh were important cities. In the classical Antiquity the region was called Osrhoene
Osroene
Osroene, also spelled Osrohene and Osrhoene and sometimes known by the name of its capital city, Edessa , was a historic Syriac kingdom located in Mesopotamia, which enjoyed semi-autonomy to complete independence from the years of 132 BC to AD 244.It was a Syriac-speaking kingdom.Osroene, or...
with the capital ar-Ruha'
Sanliurfa
Şanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language , in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323 inhabitants Şanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language (Syriac ܐܘܪܗܝ Urhoy,Armenian Ուռհա Owr'ha, Arabic الرها ar-Ruhā), in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323...
and after the Islamic conquest in the 7th c. CE the region was named after an Arab tribe Diyar Mudar, the land of the Mudar.
Over the millennia the region saw always an interaction between nomadic tribes and settled population. One sometimes got the upper hand over the other.
During the Roman and Islamic history, the towns of Ar-Ruha' and Harran arose in the Balikh valley to importance. Harran was traditionally thought to be where Abraham lived just before moving to Canaan. It is also thought to be where the wives of Isaac and Jacob were born. Ar-Ruha' is thought to be the birthplace of Abraham according to Muslim tradition. In 762 the Caliph al-Mansur
Al-Mansur
Al-Mansur, Almanzor or Abu Ja'far Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mansur was the second Abbasid Caliph from 136 AH to 158 AH .-Biography:...
decided to build a garrison city at the junction of the Euphrates, Ar-Rafiqa, which merged with the Hellenistic city Kallinikos to the urban agglomeration Ar-Raqqah.
Archaeological research in the Balikh River basin
Nineteenth-century European travellers already noted the presence of archaeological remains in the Balikh Valley, but the first investigations were only carried out in 1938. In that year, the English archaeologist Sir Max MallowanMax Mallowan
Sir Max Edgar Lucien Mallowan, CBE was a prominent British archaeologist, specialising in ancient Middle Eastern history, and the second husband of Dame Agatha Christie.-Life and work:...
spent six weeks investigating five archaeological sites dating from the seventh to the second millennium BC.
Excavated archaeological sites in the Balikh River basin
- Tell Bi'a (near the confluence of the Balikh with the Euphrates)
- Tell Balabra (on the Wadi Qaramogh)
- Tell ChueraTell ChueraTell Chuera is an ancient Near Eastern tell site in Ar Raqqah Governorate, northern Syria. It lies between the Balikh and Khabur rivers.-History:...
(on the Wadi Chuera) - Tell Hammam et-Turkman
- Tell Jidle
- Tell Sabi Abyad
- Tell Sahlan
- Tell as-Saman