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citadel at Mardin, and have similarities with those at
Mosul, Diyarbakr and Aleppo (inscribed on the World
heritage List in 1986; criteria iii and iv). While the history
of Mardin is certainly interesting, there are not sufficient
elements to define how it is distinguished in its culturalhistorical
context.
Mardin has also been the centre of the patriarchate of
Syriac Orthodoxy, and a number of monasteries and
churches have been built here until 1933, when the
patriarchate moved to Syria. Deyru’l Zafaran Monastery,
dating from the 4th Century, is the main reference for this
religion but it is not included in the nomination. Generally
speaking, as mentioned in the nomination dossier, the
architectural style and materials used in Mardin can be
compared to those in other south-eastern Turkish cities
such as Sanliurfa, Gaziantep or Diyarbakir which are
renown for carved stone. Mardin’s terraced urban pattern,
formed in response to its natural setting, cannot be
considered unique. There are a number of cities and
villages founded in the same pattern, for example in the
Middle East and the Mediterranean region. The urban
structure of Mardin is also similar to Matera in Italy (WH
1993), even though the latter obviously represents a
different cultural context.
Outstanding universal value
General statement:
The historic town of Mardin undoubtedly has qualities,
particularly related to the pre-Ottoman period. The most
interesting issue in the nomination is perhaps represented
by the Artuqid period, during the Seljuk Empire from the
mid 12 th to the 14 th centuries. The remaining buildings
include mosques and madrasahs, which differ from those
of the Anatolian Seljuks and the Syrians, the main sources
of influence. Mardin is given as the homeland of the
Syriac-Aramaean culture, but the main monastery is not
included in the nomination.
Regrettably, the integrity of the town as whole is severely
compromised as a result of adverse developments. From
the conservation point of view, it is justified to treat the
historic town of Mardin as a whole. From the point of view
of World Heritage, however, the whole cannot be
considered to meet the requirements of outstanding
universal value.
In the first nomination dossier, the State Party included
criteria iii and iv considering Mardin as an example of the
interaction of humans with nature, and referring especially
to the terraced structure of the site. Criterion iv was
dropped subsequently.
Evaluation of criteria:
Criterion iii: Even though Mardin obviously is testimony
to several civilisations, this alone does not necessarily
provide sufficient grounds for its outstanding value.
Rather, it is a common feature of most urban centres in the
region, such as Aleppo, which is one of the nearest
references, as well as having been an important influence
to Mardin. The issue of Mardin being the homeland of the
ancient Syria-Aramaean culture and how this is expressed
in the ancient site has not been clearly elaborated in the
nomination dossier. Even though there is a brief
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description of their main monastery, Deyru’l Zafaran, this
is 5 km outside the town and has not been included in the
nominated area.
4. ICOMOS RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation with respect to inscription
That the property should not be inscribed on the World
Heritage List.
ICOMOS, March 2003