The ruins of Erzen/ Tigranakert

In the west of the district of Kurtalan (Siirt), along a tributary of the Tigris river, the Yanarsu, are the ruins of a large ancient city, known as Erzen or Arzn. The city had a rectangular form of about 1,5 x 1,5 km, still clearly recognisable on aerial photos. Parts of the city wall are preserved and a large theatre overlooking the river. The city is nowadays widely supposed to be Tigranakert or Tigranocerta, founded by the Armenian king Tigradates in the 1st century BC. Older theories for the location of Tigranakert point to the town of Silvan and the city of Diyarbekir.

Photos taken on a rainy day in Spring 2011.