Mesopotamian Ruins of Dara Near the Syrian Border

The Dara Mesopotamia ruins do not often appear in tourism brochures of Turkey despite their importance in the historical world. The city was a strong fortress for the Romans and one of the most populated areas in ancient Mesopotamia.

In recent times, the blame for non recognition is probably because it is near the Syrian / Turkish border. We were staying in Mardin and locals said a drive from Dara ruins to the border was just five minutes. This made me doubt whether my goal to visit could be achieved.

We had spoken to soldiers in Urfa who said military presence in the Southeast had increased dramatically and they had been drafted in from the West coast of Turkey in case the situation with Syria worsened. We decided to try visiting Dara anyway. The worst scenario was military stop points on the road and we would have to turn back.

The Village

The ruins of Dara are near the village of Oguz and my qualms about having to change travel plans were unfounded.Military stop points were nonexistent and the village was peaceful with no indication of the turmoil happening a short distance away. Children were running around the streets and women were baking bread in their stone bake ovens. Cows rested in the gardens and although the village looked neglected, I felt no concern with being there.

The Dara Mesopotamia Ruins

The main reason for visiting the area was to see the ruins. Very little information exists on the Internet about them and when comparing them with other Roman sites like Ephesus, foreign tourists are rare. Locals said the ruins were becoming popular however when the problem with Syria flared up, even Turks stopped visiting. They now receive a small trickle of visitors each week.

In articles that I did find, there is contradiction about who built the city. Some historians say its name came from the Persian king Darius while others insist it was the Byzantine emperor Anastasius who laid the first foundations.

Either way, its importance stems from its use as a Roman fortress in the sixth century and as the location of the famous battle of Dara. Excavations started on the ruins in 1986 and according to locals, historians did not leave until two years ago.

If you look carefully at the top of the stone buildings, you can see a long line indicating the different colors in the stone. Everything below that line had spent thousands of years under the ground until excavations began. The thought of unearthing an ancient city is impressive and it is thanks to the village children that I learned this information.

Many people say do not give money to local children as it encourages them to beg strangers for money. However, this young group acted as our guides and told us more information in half an hour than anything I had read on the Internet.

The children were not begging. They were prepared to work for small pocket change. The help of the children was also gratefully accepted because at times, I found it hard to recognize what I was looking at. The children pointed out the necropolis, churches, houses, and agora and without their advice, we would have missed the impressive water cistern situated outside of the ruins and nearer to the village center.

Tips for visiting Dara

Do not let the close proximity of Dara to the Syrian border put you off.

Local transport is not frequent or an easy ride. Hire a driver or car instead.

Visit the village as well as the ruins for a better experience. Half a day is ample time.

The knowledge of an expert guide will benefit you. The children that showed us around only spoke Turkish, so you will need a translator if you do not have a guide.

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Hi. I'm Natalie, a freelance travel blogger and writer specializing in the country of Turkey. I love hot summer days, historical sites and coffee.

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Comments

Natalie says
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Thanks Turtle – there was absolutely no problem with the nearby conflict. If it was not for the newspapers, I would not have even known it was happening.
Turtle says
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Wow – it looks really interesting. I would have been put off by the proximity to potential conflict but good on you for trying to go – and succeeding!
Natalie says
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They are definitely intriguing Cheryl.Worth a visit and recommend them to everyone
Cheryl says
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Lovely! I’d welcome the opportunity to visit these ruins. So mysterious and intriguing.
Natalie says
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I think it the children are marvellous Claudia. Very polite and well mannered. Maybe I am getting old but i could not help but compare them to western children whose lives are filled with video games and violence.
Claudia says
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We went to Dara maybe 2 yrs ago now and those children joined us too – they are actually Kurdish, it’s a Kurdish village. At one point, my husband said something to me in English whereupon one of the little girls said shyly: I speak 2 languages too – I can speak Turkish! BTW we gave them something as well …
Natalie says
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I am glad too Jennifer – there was no problems at all
Jennifer says
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The ruins look gorgeous! What an interesting and off-the-beaten-path place to visit in Turkey. I’m glad you didn’t let the close proximity to Syria deter you.
Nat says
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Could have been helpful to have you on the trip then Lillie – all the ancient civilizations of Turkey can get confusing at times!
Lillie - @WorldLillie says
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Mesopotamia!!!! As a middle school Ancient Civilizations teacher, it’s so cool to see actual photos of these sites!
Natalie says
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They reckon there is a lot more Di but it is all underground and how do you uncover it without disrupting a whole village
Natalie says
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I can see the similarities as well Joy and when I was there, it was easy to imagine a bustling town
phil + Di marina gateway says
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Turkey has so much to offer not booze and beaches its a shame its so close to the boarder this is a place i would love to see and i agree it dose look like Cappadocia maybe theres lots more that have not been found yet
Joy (My Turkish Joys) says
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Looks very impressive! In fact, these ruins of Dara almost remind me a bit of the underground villages in Cappadocia! A lot of similarities with the building and inside structures.
Natalie says
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Exactly Jack – they were not pushy just very helpful
Natalie says
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Glad you enjoyed Maria – plenty more articles on the south east coming up
Natalie says
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The local kids made the experience more enjoyable Rob
Jack Scott says
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As long as the kids aren’t pushy, why not offer something for their services? You did the right thing.
Maria says
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Kids always know the best sites – perhaps due to their inquisitive nature or lack of fear but they know where the good stuff is!

You taught them that good work deserves pay and that’s definitely a good thing.

Kudos for being prepared and going ahead or I’d not have seen these impressive shots. Thnx.
Rob says
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Thanks Natalie

Fascinating read. Its good to see the local kids to help tell the story of Dara.
Natalie says
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Antakya is on my list of places to go as well Ozlem. I think as long as you do not go to the immediate border then all is good. I wanted to but hubby refused!
Natalie says
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Thank you Catherine. I got my eras mixed up. Sometimes get confused with Byzantine rulers, Roman emperors, Ottoman kings and Persian princes! Such is the colourful history of Turkey
Natalie says
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Was there in November Alan! Yes, I know I am behind on my schedule. *blush* Got over 100 articles to publish about the south-east, Beypazari, black sea and my return to Cappadocia. Trying to get them all done and then will set off again
Natalie says
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For some reason, I thought you had already been to Turkey David. When you do come, you will need more than a month to explore it fully
Natalie says
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I agree Ali – I like to try and imagine life during that period. Absolutely no problems about being close to the border either. All fears were unfounded
Natalie says
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I have only come across snippets of info about the Alexander Sarcophagus as well Karen, which amazes me to say he is one of the best conquerors of history. In those cases, I normally reply on guidebooks but they were also lacking in information on Dara as well
Ozlem's Turkish Table says
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Amazing place Natalie, I haven’t been there now very cruious; an open air museum, fascinating. I hope folks can make it there, and such places; I have friends scared to go Antioch, Antakya, again due to Syrian uprise. Chances are they all are safe, as long as you are sensible – bookmarked to go, hope soon!
Catherine says
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Fascinating, Natalie! Thanks for this post – yet another place I did not know about, when we next return to Mardin in May. My maiden name is Cord, so I’m intrigued to visit the Cordes River, at least in spirit, by seeing that enormous cistern which once held its water.

Small correction to your post, which I’m sure you meant: Emperor Anastasius was Byzantine. Too much to keep track of in the history of this land!
Alan says
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. . another good post Natalie and one for me to add for next time. When were you there?
David @ Malaysia Asia says
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Nice breakdown of The Mesopotamian Ruins of Dara. Seriously, I am yet to visit Turkey and after hearing what the country has to offer, I think I need an entire month exploring the country. Happy New Year 2013 from Malaysia! 🙂
Ali says
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That looks really interesting! I find ruins so interesting because they really make you think about just how much history is there and how long they’ve been around. I’m glad you didn’t have any problems getting there or feel uncomfortable at all being so close to Syria.
Karen Barrett-Wilt says
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Wow — looks like a fascinating place! I’m continually amazed at how little information there is out there about some of these places and objects (the Alexander Sarcophagus, for example. Thought I’d be able to find lots of info on the internet but can find almost nothing). Thanks for sharing – Dara is definitely on my wish list now!
-Karen

(I tried to comment and it disappeared. If I posted this twice, feel free to delete one, of course!)