The ancient city of Hasankeyf is perched on rock, towering above the river Tigris. It is a spectacular setting filled with monuments to multiple civilisations.

The caves at the very top are 3,000 years old.

More recent sandstone mosques in the valley below testify to a time when Hasankeyf was among the richest cities in Mesopotamia.

Soon the entire valley is to be flooded with a dam. A new funding deal from an international consortium including Austria, Germany and Switzerland means it is on the brink of realisation.

Archaeologists also believe there are layers rich with history beneath ground they will not have time to reach before the flood.

This month the dig team uncovered fragments of the first Roman wall mosaic ever found here.

Fifty-four thousand people will be displaced by the dam in total.

The uppermost part of Hasankeyf will remain above water and any monuments that cannot be moved can be rebuilt - leaving the originals as an underwater paradise for divers.

Opponents insist they are drowning at least 3,000 years of history in the process.
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What a shame that we destroy our history in order to achieve the demands of our needs today! I wish they could find a better way!

That's horrible! I thought that Turkey was proud of it's history and was really conscious of keeping it preserved.

The people who aprove of this Dam are complete and utter fools .


They at the very least -

Should give us the time to "Study" everything the dam is going to cover ..

Here is a website with really good photos of hasankeyf, including the remains of an incredibly massive ancient bridge. It is really a tragedy that soon all of this history will be lost.

http://www.pbase.com/dosseman/hasankeyf