January
13
/ 2023
The Balıklıgöl basin, located today in the centre of modern Sanliurfa in Turkiye, was once the centre of Edessa, capitol of the Kingdom of Osroene, which declared its independence in 132 BC from the Seleucid Empire, until it fell to the Roman Empire in 244 BC. The area has archaeological significance, incorporating the Sanliurfa Museum, the Yenimahalle Urban Archaeological site, Haleplibahçe Archaeopark, Balıklıgöl with the Pool of Abraham, the Bedüzzaman Cemetery and Urfa Castle towering on the hill. Two noteworthy sites are the Kızılkoyun Necropolis (second to third century AD) and the Villa of the Amazons featuring the Haleplibahçe mosaics (the fifth to sixth century AD). Broad view of the Kızılkoyun Necropolis in Sanliurfa (Image: Courtesy Micki Pistorius) The Kızılkoyun
