Alqosh
Encyclopedia
Alqōsh or Alqūsh is one of the most famous Assyrian
towns of the mainly East Syrian rite
in Iraq
. It is located (50 km) north of Mosul
. The name Alqosh (or Elqosh) is derived from an Akkadian
name Eil-Kushtu, where "Eil" means God and "Kushtu" means righteousness or power. Therefore, Elqosh, or as casually pronounced Alqosh, means "The God of Righteousness" or "The God of Power."The name "Alqosh" could also be originated from the Aramaic "Eil Qushti," which means "The God of the Bow." Here, an association could be drawn in conjunction with the winged disk symbol of God Ashur holding a bow. Meanwhile, in Aramaic language, rainbow is referred to as "Qeshta d' Maran," therefore, the meaning of the "Bow of Our Lord," is possible as well. Alqosh is known also as Yimma d' Athor (Mother of Assyria) or Yimma d' Mathwatha (Mother of all Villages). Alqosh has adorned the Bayhidhra mountains for more than twenty five centuries. The town glowingly reigns over Nineveh
's northern plateau known for its fertile soil and extends southward across the other Assyrian/Chaldean towns, such as, Telassqopa (Tel Skuf
), Baqofah
, Batnaya
, and Tel Keppe
.
Alqosh traces its history back into the ancient Assyrian empire and perhaps even further back into history. The earliest mentioning of Alqosh appears in Sennacherib
's era 750 BC as evidenced by the mural inside Sennacherib's palace that was discovered in Tel Kuyunjik/Qüyüjik (Sheeps' Hill in Turkomani) in Mosul
. Behind this mural, the phrase "This rock was brought from Alqosh’s Mountain" is carved. Furthermore, a number of sites within Alqosh still carry ancient Assyrian names, for example, Sainna Neighborhood means the Moon
Neighborhood and Bee Sinnat is a plain area south of Alqosh. Within approximately 2 miles (3 km), to the west of Alqosh, lies the well known ruin of Shayro Meliktha which is marked in the Iraqi ruins Map as a temple
carrying a carving of Sennacherib
aiming an arrow from his bow
.
Alqosh's stone dwellings are spread along its mountainous slopes up to the tip of its plateau. They share similar decorations with all other colonies within the Nineveh plains, except for the construction that recently swamped its borders, especially in the southern part of the colony to reflect the contemporary nature of building applications in the form of cement, bricks and other materials. Alqush is divided into four quarters: Sainna quarter to the west, Qasha quarter to the east, O’do quarter to the north, and Khatetha quarter to the south.
Conflicting opinions appear pertaining to the name Alqosh. Some believe it derives from the Aramaic language
and the word Alqoshtti, which means "My god is my arrow". Others interpret it as Alqoshtta, the god of justice. Yet some others believe it comes from Alqosh, Turkish Alkuş; the red bird. Some contend it belongs to the name AalQoun, father of Nahum
the Alqoshian, one of the Old Testament prophets whose tomb still rests in Alqosh today.
with the Alqoshniye and even became prophet
s such as Biblical Nahum. The interpretation that seems most logical relies on Marotha, the Alqusheian Wiseman from three centuries ago who asserted that the name Alqush is derived from Sîn, the god known as Siin meaning the greatest god. Its site was located at Shweetha D’Gannaweh, a hill at the north of Alqush. In this respect, Marotha relays what his ancestors have stated that those living in Nineveh
would visit Alqush every Akitu
(the Assyrian New Year) to replay the Enuma Elish
which is the Sumerian Epic of Creation. They then would have a religious ceremony in honor of the moon god Sin
and the image or icon of the god would be carried in a procession on their way back to Nineveh passing through the old Nineveh Alqush road. However, to its south another agricultural area known as Bee Siinnat is clearly derived from the word Siin. Forty days later the inhabitants of Nineveh would return the statue or icon of the god to its original place in Alqush. Based on the foregoing, we believe that the name Alqush is taken from the Assyrian or earlier Sumerian name for god Siin/Alqush. Some Sumerologist claim that Inanna
the Sumerian goddess of love and war was also the offspring of the moon god Sin
or as he is originally called Nanna. Alqoshniye are still awaiting the day when excavations in the said hill, Shweetha D’Gannaweh, will unravel new landmarks that attest the place's Assyrian or perhaps even earlier identity.
Since its establishment, Alqush was a place for worshiping whether for Assyrian god El-Qustu or Judaism
when various Hebrew peoples were brought by the Assyrian army during the eight and ninth century BC. However, with the spread of Christian
ity, Alqush was among the first Mesopotamian to accept the new faith as their own. According to the memoirs of Mar Mikha of Nohadra (Dohouk) when he visited the city
in 441 AD he was welcomed by priests of a church built on the ruins of the temple of Alqush's ancient god Siin. Alqush has been an important city since the beginning of history
in Mesopotamia
but it became an important city for Eastern Christianity
after the coming of the monk Hirmiz who built an abbey
known after him as "Rabban Hirmizd Monastery" in 640 AD at the outskirts of the Mountains of Alqosh. This monastery was used as the Seat for many Patriarchs of the Church of the East. It also became the birth
place of Chaldeanism when the head of the monks of the monastery, Yohannan Sulaqa
, decided to enter in Full Communion
with the Catholic Church in 1553.
ian god Sin
, who was also worshiped at Ur
as the Sumerian equivalent Nanna, or for the god El-Qustu. Alqosh was also a site of worship for the Hebrew peoples when they were brought by the Assyrian army during the eighth and ninth century BC. However, with the spread of Christian
ity, Alqush was among the first Assyrian cities to accept the new faith as their own. According to the memoirs of Mar Mikha of Nohadra (Dohouk) when he visited the town in 441 AD he was welcomed by priests of a church built on the ruins of the temple of Alqush's ancient god Siin.
Alqush became an important town for Eastern Christianity after the coming of the Nestorian monk Hirmiz who carved out a monastery out of the mountains of Alqosh. This abbey is called "Rabban Hormizd Monastery
" which was crafted in 640 AD at the outskirts of the Mountains of Alqosh. It was used as the Seat for many Patriarchs of the Assyrian Church of the East
. From this monastery came Yohannan Sulaqa, who decided to unite with the Catholic Church in 1553 and established the Chaldean Church.
Before that all of the inhabitants of Alqosh, like their brothers in other Chaldean towns, followed the Nestorian faith and were of the Assyrian Church of the East
. From 1610 to 1617 the Patriarchate of Alqosh, under Mar Eliyya VIII, entered in Full Communion
with Rome
. After this short time union, from about the 1700 also Alqosh had a Chaldean
minority, and in 1771 the patriarch Eliya Denkha signed a Catholic confession of faith, but no formal union resulted till the reign of patriarch Yohannan VIII (Eliya) Hormizd
(1760–1838).
By 1780, most of the inhabitants of Alqush accepted the union with the Catholic Church. There are also people in Alqosh who adhere to their original Assyrian Church of the East
faith.
from 1551 and 1804. Revived in 1808 by Gabriel Dambo, in the 19th century it was the main monastery of the Chaldean Catholic Church
.
In 1859 a new monastery (Notre-Dame des Semences) was erected in the plain near Alqosh, but the ancient building is still in use.
The collection of manuscripts of this monastery is of very great importance for the study of Syriac literature, and manuscripts from it feature in almost every discussion of Syriac texts.
sovereign Nader Shah.
According to the testimony
written in a letter by the Priest Habash Bin Jomaa from 1746, he describes; "... first they attacked Karamles
and stole its peoples valuables and kidnapped many of its children and women. They then did the same to the inhabitants of Bartella
they killed many of her men, stole their valuables, and also kidnapped its children and women. They did the same to the people of Tel Keppe and Alqush, however, many of those two neighboring villages took refuge at the Monastery of Rabban Hirmizd. There they were surrounded by the soldiers of Nader Shah who attacked them like a pack of hungry wolves attacking helpless sheep. There they committed horrendous crimes that I just don't have the stomach to describe!"
In 1828, Alqush was attacked by the army of Mosa Pasha, the governor of Amadeya, who was instigated by some of his Muslim subjects to attack the Rabban Hirmizd Monastery which he did. His army arrested and imprisoned several monks and priests and caused tremendous damage to the monastery.
In 1832, Alqush was attacked again by the Kurdish Governor of Rowanduz
, nicknamed "Merkor" whose hatred for Christians and Assyrians is well known. He killed over 400 of its inhabitants. Merkor attacked Alqosh again on 15 March 1833 and killed another 172 of its men, not counting children, women, and strangers (according to church records).
In 1840, Alqush was once again attacked by the brother of Merkor, Rasoul Beg, who surrounded it for several months after which he put on fire the Rabban Hirmizd Monastery and stole over 500 of its valuable books.
Besides all these incidents, a number of natural catastrophes forced hundreds of families to immigrate due to hunger and disease:
As a result of these painful incidents, many families left for Karamles
, Tel Keppe
, Bartella
, Mosul
, Baghdad
, and some left for Syria
, Jordan
, and Lebanon
and established themselves in those regions.
According to the latest statistics, Alqush's population reaches over 15,000. Alqush's population at one point was over 20,000 during the 1960s. Many immigrated outside the country in huge numbers as from the mid seventies and up until present. It is estimated that at least 40,000 Alqushnaye/Elkoshites immigrants and their 2nd and 3rd generations now live in the city of Detroit, Michigan
and San Diego, California
.
The Alqoshniye (Elkoshites) speak Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, the ancient language spoken by Jesus
of Nazareth
. The Aramaic language is their first language, but Arabic is their unofficial official language and some of them are fluent in Kurdish
as well. There are many Alqoshniye who speak over five languages since they have become travelers of the world. When Elkoshniye migrate to the west, they teach their children the Alqoshi dialect of Aramaic rather than Arabic in order to keep the language and the dialect alive.
The popular clothing for men is identical to that of the Kurdish
peoples. It is believed that the men of Alqush adopted this clothing at the end of the 19th century as they gradually abandoned their historic clothing which was long pants and "zaboon". Instead of the turban
, they would throw braids. Their features and clothing brings them close to their Assyrian or even Sumerian forefathers and practices, just like the people of Sinjar
who still adhere to the same dress to the present time.
As for women, their clothings originality extends to the history of Mesopotamia
(Bet Nahreen). Some signs of the Hatra's kingdom clearly appear in the Poosheya that adorns the head and in the Mazer worn by the women. The Assyrian signs in the Alqushian female would appear in the long braids made of wool that extend to her ankle after connecting it to the woman's original braids. The Alqushean women exaggerated wearing golden and silver ornaments around their neck and ear and in her Poosheya that used to cover her head, that was decorated with colorful beads. The forehead was surrounded with a golden belt that skirts this Poosheya front the front side whereas black strings dangle from both sides. The skirted part of various colors and decorations would cover the woman's body from the front after it hangs from the shoulder to extend to the two knees.
Alqush, like so many other Iraq
i cities which depended on its own economy
and resources, had a high percentage of illiteracy, but that does not prevent having a long standing educational movement represented by Mar Mikha Al Nuhedri School at the beginning of the fifth century. The efforts of priests and deacons who stressed teaching the Aramaic language and its literature and many of them left their writings. Their names glow like the comforting light
of the moon. Some of those names are:
A number of Alqushean men have their names planted in the conscious of the people of Alqush among them are:
After World War I
and after establishing the kingdom rule in Iraq, the first elementary school was founded. The school taught topics in Arabic till the fourth grade and it gradually improved to offer six-year education. The Alqushean graduates of the elementary school were forced to pursue their education for the intermediate and secondary school in Baghdad, Mosul, Dehuk, and even Telkeppeh. After the national revolution of 1958, the first intermediate school in Alqush was established. Currently, Alqush houses the following schools:
The residents of Alqush are Christians belonging to the Chaldean Catholic Church
. Alqosh of course also houses many individuals who adhere to their own philosophies.
Alqush was a Patriarch center for this church for many centuries. A number of Alqusheans became Patriarchs themselves when it became hereditary in Aboun's family (Aamokka). Eleven Patriarchs consecutively were from this family to head the Church of East. Their tombs are still in Rabban Hermizd Monastery:
Also, Alqush is honored with another 5 of her sons to head the Chaldean Catholic Church as Patriarchs:
Most of Alqosh inhabitants practiced dry agriculture since the olden days and relied on the fertile plains to the south, protecting the city on the parameters of the village to have the necessary agricultural products like grain, wheat, beans and summer products such as cantaloupe and cucumber. Farmers followed old non-technological methods in their farming for several centuries, and their livelihood was always threatened due to nature's betrayal in situations of lack of rain
or plant epidemic such as soona and grasshoppers.
Towards the beginning of the sixties, Alqosh was introduced to agricultural machinery such as tractors, harvester-threshers (reapers), in addition to methods of treating and curing plant epidemic. However, irrigation means were and still are missing in the area, and farming still relies on rain. Currently, farms belong to the government and are deputized to their owners to use them after they were completely owned by their rightful owners.
Besides these huge lands, grapevines spread all over the village and produce various types of grapes, among which are the black grapes that are well known in the northern region. Some of those who are interested in the history of Alqosh believe that there were over two hundred vineyards in the village. Below are names of some of these vineyards:
Kerrmanneh D’Deyrra, Kerrma D’Rrheyqah, Kerrma D’Be Jemma, Kerrma D’Be Jaoroo, Kerrma D’Be Jejoo Rayes, Kerrma D’Be Sadeq Rayes, Kerrma D’Be Houbentta, Kerrma D’Be Zorra, Kerrma D’Be Ptooza, Kerrma D’Be Qoodda, Kerrma D’Be Peeyous Chiekho, Kerrma D’Be Mogeena Zorri, Kerrma D’Be Tayzee, Kerma D’ Reysha, Kerma D’Be Kottrra, Kerma D’Be Selow Be Dayy, Kerma D’Be Sayddah, Kerma D’Be Yaqou Gorjee, Kerma D’Be Mercous Pouleth, Kerma D’Be Shemaa’on, Kerma D’Be Benna, Kerma D’Be Yako Zorra etc.
Up until recently, Alqush enjoyed being an important trade center for the Kurdish
, Yezide, and Arabic villages surrounding it as it housed an active market and many cabins receiving agricultural and animal products from all of these villages. Its market are full of stores and shops containing all types of commodities for shoppers of the region. A number of trades helped manufacture many of the goods used by the residents of the city and rural areas:
In addition to that, the residents of Alqush raised cattle, sheep, and bees. It is important to note that Alqush has no river, and it used to rely on springs and wells water that were dug by their forefathers in the beginning of life on Earth
. It also has some valleys that have winter water which run through them, though some had water passing through them during summer as well. Some of these water wells and water fountainheads are:
Following are some of the wells:
The Strongest and most well known families in Alqosh were: Boudagh, Shikwana, Shahara, Zoree, Tomas, Aboona, Shushani, Kakka, Khubeir, and Malakha
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
towns of the mainly East Syrian rite
East Syrian Rite
The East Syrian Rite is a Christian liturgy, also known as the Assyro-Chaldean Rite, Assyrian or Chaldean Rite, and the Persian Rite although it originated in Edessa, Mesopotamia...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. It is located (50 km) north of Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
. The name Alqosh (or Elqosh) is derived from an Akkadian
Akkadian language
Akkadian is an extinct Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest attested Semitic language, it used the cuneiform writing system derived ultimately from ancient Sumerian, an unrelated language isolate...
name Eil-Kushtu, where "Eil" means God and "Kushtu" means righteousness or power. Therefore, Elqosh, or as casually pronounced Alqosh, means "The God of Righteousness" or "The God of Power."The name "Alqosh" could also be originated from the Aramaic "Eil Qushti," which means "The God of the Bow." Here, an association could be drawn in conjunction with the winged disk symbol of God Ashur holding a bow. Meanwhile, in Aramaic language, rainbow is referred to as "Qeshta d' Maran," therefore, the meaning of the "Bow of Our Lord," is possible as well. Alqosh is known also as Yimma d' Athor (Mother of Assyria) or Yimma d' Mathwatha (Mother of all Villages). Alqosh has adorned the Bayhidhra mountains for more than twenty five centuries. The town glowingly reigns over Nineveh
Nineveh
Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo Assyrian Empire. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq....
's northern plateau known for its fertile soil and extends southward across the other Assyrian/Chaldean towns, such as, Telassqopa (Tel Skuf
Tel Skuf
Tel Isqof is an Assyrian town, with a population of 7,000 most of whose inhabitants are members of the Chaldean Catholic Church...
), Baqofah
Baqofah
Baqofa is an Assyrian village in northern Iraq located near Batnaya. Most of its inhabitants are adherents of the Chaldean Catholic Church...
, Batnaya
Batnaya
Batnaya is an Assyrian village located 14 miles north of Mosul and around 3 miles north of Tel Keppe.The name Batnaya is of Aramaic origin derived from either "Beth Tnyay" meaning "The House of Mud" or "Beth Tnaya" meaning "The House of Assiduity"....
, and Tel Keppe
Tel Keppe
Tel Keppe , is one of the largest formerly Assyrian towns in Iraq. It is located in the Ninawa Governorate, less than 8 miles North East of Mosul in northern Iraq.-Etymology:...
.
Alqosh traces its history back into the ancient Assyrian empire and perhaps even further back into history. The earliest mentioning of Alqosh appears in Sennacherib
Sennacherib
Sennacherib |Sîn]] has replaced brothers for me"; Aramaic: ) was the son of Sargon II, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria .-Rise to power:...
's era 750 BC as evidenced by the mural inside Sennacherib's palace that was discovered in Tel Kuyunjik/Qüyüjik (Sheeps' Hill in Turkomani) in Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
. Behind this mural, the phrase "This rock was brought from Alqosh’s Mountain" is carved. Furthermore, a number of sites within Alqosh still carry ancient Assyrian names, for example, Sainna Neighborhood means the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
Neighborhood and Bee Sinnat is a plain area south of Alqosh. Within approximately 2 miles (3 km), to the west of Alqosh, lies the well known ruin of Shayro Meliktha which is marked in the Iraqi ruins Map as a temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
carrying a carving of Sennacherib
Sennacherib
Sennacherib |Sîn]] has replaced brothers for me"; Aramaic: ) was the son of Sargon II, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria .-Rise to power:...
aiming an arrow from his bow
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
.
Alqosh's stone dwellings are spread along its mountainous slopes up to the tip of its plateau. They share similar decorations with all other colonies within the Nineveh plains, except for the construction that recently swamped its borders, especially in the southern part of the colony to reflect the contemporary nature of building applications in the form of cement, bricks and other materials. Alqush is divided into four quarters: Sainna quarter to the west, Qasha quarter to the east, O’do quarter to the north, and Khatetha quarter to the south.
Etymology
Aramaic language
Aramaic is a group of languages belonging to the Afroasiatic language phylum. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic family, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic subfamily,...
and the word Alqoshtti, which means "My god is my arrow". Others interpret it as Alqoshtta, the god of justice. Yet some others believe it comes from Alqosh, Turkish Alkuş; the red bird. Some contend it belongs to the name AalQoun, father of Nahum
Nahum
Nahum was a minor prophet whose prophecy is recorded in the Hebrew Bible. His book comes in chronological order between Micah and Habakkuk in the Bible. He wrote about the end of the Assyrian Empire, and its capital city, Nineveh, in a vivid poetic style....
the Alqoshian, one of the Old Testament prophets whose tomb still rests in Alqosh today.
Sites in Alqosh
A number of sites remain important in the deep minds of Alqoshnayes.- Gu’ppa D’Mmaya (cave of water) located to the north.
- Gu’ppa Ssmoqa (the red cave) located to the north.
- Gu’ppetha D’Toomin (small cave of Toomin) located to the north, and Toomin may be a proper name.
- Gu’ppa D’ Magoar Gama (the Thunderous cave) located to the northeastern.
- Shweetha D’Gannaweh (Sleeping bed of the Robbers) is a hill located to the north. Some of the experts interested in Alqush's history believe that Shweetha D’Ganaweh was a site for the Assyrian god Sىin.
- Rommta D’Jwannqeh (Mound of the Youths) located to the northwestern.
- Khoosha (the Container) located to the northwestern.
- Raoolla D’Mmaya (The valley of water) located to the west.
- Gu’ppa D’Hattarein (cave of Cotton’s Carders) located. In Syriac Hattarein is a plural for the word Hattara that means cotton’s carders; it was also called Khtertta and the Mosul dwellers used to call it the Khatoora and it is taken from Syriac language. The word Hatterein may have another connotation.
- Kerrma D’Raysha (The Peak's vineyard), in the past the vineyard was located at the peak of the mountain.
- Besqeen, an old orchard located behind Alqush Mountain in a rough trail valley. Three families own this orchard: Bendaq Youhana, Kkmikha Dman family, and Shabio Mdallow family. It resembles the remains of a Monastery that was erected some ten centuries ago. The inhabitants of Alqush knew the orchard as full of fruits and vegetables and water. Up until the thirties of the twentieth century, Jebrail Youhana worked in the orchard. The name Besqeen is a plural Syriac that means water pond.
- Galeeya D’Qasha Hanna (Priest Hanna's Valley) located to the north.
- Tellsha derived from (Toullsha) which is a material used in spreading and covering. This place may have been used by Nader Shah, the Persian ruler, as a rest area when he invaded the region in 1732 and 1742 AD.
- Galeeya D’Dayra or Galeeya D’Qadeesha (valley of the Saints or Valley of the Monastery the), a valley leading to Rabban Hermizd monastery located in the northeastern corner of Alqush. It is an old monastery that can be traced back to the time when Arab Muslim started to invade the region in 636 AD. Until recently, the monastery was housed by its monks who preferred to worship within its vast expanse and labor in its orchards and farms.
- Towards the plain side opposite to this site, Virgin Mary's monastery (Guardian of the Plants) is situated, which was built in 1856 AD. It is a huge monastery where the friar life still exists. The Guardian of the Plants monastery was named Ishtar, the gods of love, fertility, and abundance for the Babylonians.
- Galeeya Dnerba D’Deyoeh (erroneously pronounced as Neer D’Dayoeh), the valley of Devils, located to the east of Rabban Hermizd Monastery.
- Gu’ppetha D’Hllwi(D’Hllabi), a place for milking sheep.
- Gu’ppetha D’Rrabi Rabba, a Small Cave of High Priest(teacher).
Prophet Nahum and Alqosh
AalQoun father of Nahum was the son of a Hebrew family among thousands whom the Assyrian king Shelmenassar V who reigned between 727-722 BC brought to Alqosh. These Hebrews lived in peacePeace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
with the Alqoshniye and even became prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
s such as Biblical Nahum. The interpretation that seems most logical relies on Marotha, the Alqusheian Wiseman from three centuries ago who asserted that the name Alqush is derived from Sîn, the god known as Siin meaning the greatest god. Its site was located at Shweetha D’Gannaweh, a hill at the north of Alqush. In this respect, Marotha relays what his ancestors have stated that those living in Nineveh
Nineveh
Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo Assyrian Empire. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq....
would visit Alqush every Akitu
Akitu
Akitu was a spring festival in ancient Mesopotamia....
(the Assyrian New Year) to replay the Enuma Elish
Enûma Elish
The is the Babylonian creation myth . It was recovered by Austen Henry Layard in 1849 in the ruined Library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh , and published by George Smith in 1876.The Enûma Eliš has about a thousand lines and is recorded in Old Babylonian on seven clay tablets, each holding...
which is the Sumerian Epic of Creation. They then would have a religious ceremony in honor of the moon god Sin
Sin (mythology)
Sin or Nanna was the god of the moon in Mesopotamian mythology. Nanna is a Sumerian deity, the son of Enlil and Ninlil, and became identified with Semitic Sin. The two chief seats of Nanna's/Sin's worship were Ur in the south of Mesopotamia and Harran in the north.- Name :The original meaning of...
and the image or icon of the god would be carried in a procession on their way back to Nineveh passing through the old Nineveh Alqush road. However, to its south another agricultural area known as Bee Siinnat is clearly derived from the word Siin. Forty days later the inhabitants of Nineveh would return the statue or icon of the god to its original place in Alqush. Based on the foregoing, we believe that the name Alqush is taken from the Assyrian or earlier Sumerian name for god Siin/Alqush. Some Sumerologist claim that Inanna
Inanna
Inanna, also spelled Inana is the Sumerian goddess of sexual love, fertility, and warfare....
the Sumerian goddess of love and war was also the offspring of the moon god Sin
Sin (mythology)
Sin or Nanna was the god of the moon in Mesopotamian mythology. Nanna is a Sumerian deity, the son of Enlil and Ninlil, and became identified with Semitic Sin. The two chief seats of Nanna's/Sin's worship were Ur in the south of Mesopotamia and Harran in the north.- Name :The original meaning of...
or as he is originally called Nanna. Alqoshniye are still awaiting the day when excavations in the said hill, Shweetha D’Gannaweh, will unravel new landmarks that attest the place's Assyrian or perhaps even earlier identity.
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
when various Hebrew peoples were brought by the Assyrian army during the eight and ninth century BC. However, with the spread of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
ity, Alqush was among the first Mesopotamian to accept the new faith as their own. According to the memoirs of Mar Mikha of Nohadra (Dohouk) when he visited the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in 441 AD he was welcomed by priests of a church built on the ruins of the temple of Alqush's ancient god Siin. Alqush has been an important city since the beginning of history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
but it became an important city for Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
after the coming of the monk Hirmiz who built an abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
known after him as "Rabban Hirmizd Monastery" in 640 AD at the outskirts of the Mountains of Alqosh. This monastery was used as the Seat for many Patriarchs of the Church of the East. It also became the birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
place of Chaldeanism when the head of the monks of the monastery, Yohannan Sulaqa
Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa
Mar Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa was the first Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, from 1553 to 1555....
, decided to enter in Full Communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with the Catholic Church in 1553.
Christianity and Alqosh
Since its establishment, Alqush was a place for worshiping whether for the SumerSumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
ian god Sin
Sin (mythology)
Sin or Nanna was the god of the moon in Mesopotamian mythology. Nanna is a Sumerian deity, the son of Enlil and Ninlil, and became identified with Semitic Sin. The two chief seats of Nanna's/Sin's worship were Ur in the south of Mesopotamia and Harran in the north.- Name :The original meaning of...
, who was also worshiped at Ur
Ur
Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate...
as the Sumerian equivalent Nanna, or for the god El-Qustu. Alqosh was also a site of worship for the Hebrew peoples when they were brought by the Assyrian army during the eighth and ninth century BC. However, with the spread of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
ity, Alqush was among the first Assyrian cities to accept the new faith as their own. According to the memoirs of Mar Mikha of Nohadra (Dohouk) when he visited the town in 441 AD he was welcomed by priests of a church built on the ruins of the temple of Alqush's ancient god Siin.
Alqush became an important town for Eastern Christianity after the coming of the Nestorian monk Hirmiz who carved out a monastery out of the mountains of Alqosh. This abbey is called "Rabban Hormizd Monastery
Rabban Hormizd Monastery
Rabban Hormizd Monastery is an important monastery of the Chaldean Church. It is carved out in the mountains about 2 miles from Alqosh, Iraq, 28 miles north of Mosul...
" which was crafted in 640 AD at the outskirts of the Mountains of Alqosh. It was used as the Seat for many Patriarchs of the Assyrian Church of the East
Assyrian Church of the East
The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East ʻIttā Qaddishtā w-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi d-Madnĕkhā d-Āturāyē), is a Syriac Church historically centered in Mesopotamia. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical...
. From this monastery came Yohannan Sulaqa, who decided to unite with the Catholic Church in 1553 and established the Chaldean Church.
Before that all of the inhabitants of Alqosh, like their brothers in other Chaldean towns, followed the Nestorian faith and were of the Assyrian Church of the East
Assyrian Church of the East
The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East ʻIttā Qaddishtā w-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi d-Madnĕkhā d-Āturāyē), is a Syriac Church historically centered in Mesopotamia. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical...
. From 1610 to 1617 the Patriarchate of Alqosh, under Mar Eliyya VIII, entered in Full Communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. After this short time union, from about the 1700 also Alqosh had a Chaldean
Chaldean Catholic Church
The Chaldean Catholic Church , is an Eastern Syriac particular church of the Catholic Church, maintaining full communion with the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church...
minority, and in 1771 the patriarch Eliya Denkha signed a Catholic confession of faith, but no formal union resulted till the reign of patriarch Yohannan VIII (Eliya) Hormizd
Yohannan Hormizd
Mar Yohannan VIII Hormizd was the last hereditary patriarch of the Eliya line of the Church of the East and the first patriarch of a united Chaldean Church...
(1760–1838).
By 1780, most of the inhabitants of Alqush accepted the union with the Catholic Church. There are also people in Alqosh who adhere to their original Assyrian Church of the East
Assyrian Church of the East
The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East ʻIttā Qaddishtā w-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi d-Madnĕkhā d-Āturāyē), is a Syriac Church historically centered in Mesopotamia. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical...
faith.
The monastery of Rabban Hormizd
The monastery of Rabban Hormizd is carved out in the mountains about 2 miles (3 km) from Alqosh. It was found in the seventh century and has been the See of the Patriarch of the Eliya line of the Church of the EastChurch of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
from 1551 and 1804. Revived in 1808 by Gabriel Dambo, in the 19th century it was the main monastery of the Chaldean Catholic Church
Chaldean Catholic Church
The Chaldean Catholic Church , is an Eastern Syriac particular church of the Catholic Church, maintaining full communion with the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church...
.
In 1859 a new monastery (Notre-Dame des Semences) was erected in the plain near Alqosh, but the ancient building is still in use.
The collection of manuscripts of this monastery is of very great importance for the study of Syriac literature, and manuscripts from it feature in almost every discussion of Syriac texts.
Alqosh under attack
Since Alqosh housed the abbey of Rabban Hirmizd which was used as the Seat for several patriarchs of the Chaldean Church it attracted the attention of several Muslim governors of its surrounding areas. In 1743 Alqush became a victim to the destructive acts of the PersianIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
sovereign Nader Shah.
According to the testimony
Testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
written in a letter by the Priest Habash Bin Jomaa from 1746, he describes; "... first they attacked Karamles
Karamles
Karamlish is an ancient Assyrian town in Iraq located less than south east of Mosul, and has been occupied by Assyrians for 5000 years....
and stole its peoples valuables and kidnapped many of its children and women. They then did the same to the inhabitants of Bartella
Bartella
Bartella is an Assyrian town located less than 13 miles east of Mosul, Iraq. The name Bartella is of Syriac origin, but its meaning is not fully agreed on by the historians...
they killed many of her men, stole their valuables, and also kidnapped its children and women. They did the same to the people of Tel Keppe and Alqush, however, many of those two neighboring villages took refuge at the Monastery of Rabban Hirmizd. There they were surrounded by the soldiers of Nader Shah who attacked them like a pack of hungry wolves attacking helpless sheep. There they committed horrendous crimes that I just don't have the stomach to describe!"
In 1828, Alqush was attacked by the army of Mosa Pasha, the governor of Amadeya, who was instigated by some of his Muslim subjects to attack the Rabban Hirmizd Monastery which he did. His army arrested and imprisoned several monks and priests and caused tremendous damage to the monastery.
In 1832, Alqush was attacked again by the Kurdish Governor of Rowanduz
Rowanduz
The town Rawandiz is a city of Iraq, which located in the sub-district of Soran, in the Arbil Governorate of Iraqi Kurdistan, close to the Iranian border.The population in 2003 was 95,089...
, nicknamed "Merkor" whose hatred for Christians and Assyrians is well known. He killed over 400 of its inhabitants. Merkor attacked Alqosh again on 15 March 1833 and killed another 172 of its men, not counting children, women, and strangers (according to church records).
In 1840, Alqush was once again attacked by the brother of Merkor, Rasoul Beg, who surrounded it for several months after which he put on fire the Rabban Hirmizd Monastery and stole over 500 of its valuable books.
Other attacks
Alqush through history has battled many fights for its worthy life. Such as:- Their tragedy by the MogulsMughal EmpireThe Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
and Tartars in 1235 AD. - Their resistance to tribes attacking from the north and west and from Mosul area in 1258 AD.
- Alqush was attacked by the Tatars or Tartars prince Betaymewsh in 1289 AD.
- Taymor Lank Al Selhooqi's attack of 1395 AD.
- Jalal Eddean's campaign, Miran ShahMiran ShahMiran Shah was a son of Timur, and a Timurid governor during his father's lifetime.Miran Shah's first charge was a vast region centered around Qandahar, which he was granted in 1383. That same year, he destroyed a rebellion against Timurid authority by the Kartids, then vassals of Timur in...
the son of Taymor Lank in 1400 AD. - A second strike by Taymor Lank in 1401 AD.
- A fierce battle with the army of Baryak, BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
's Pasha, in 1508 AD. - An attack by some KurdishKurdish peopleThe Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
tribes in 1534 AD. - A strike by the Iranian Nader Shah Koli Khan in 1742 AD.
- Mosa Pasha, the governor of Amadiya, approached Alqush and put fire to Rabban Hermizd Monastery in 1828 AD.
- Mohammed Pasha (Mira Koor), the prince of RowanduzRowanduzThe town Rawandiz is a city of Iraq, which located in the sub-district of Soran, in the Arbil Governorate of Iraqi Kurdistan, close to the Iranian border.The population in 2003 was 95,089...
attacked Alqush. killing, robbing and raping. Those killed among the young members only were around 380 in 1832 AD. - Resoul Beck, Mira Koor's brother, repeated the attack in 1834 AD.
- Ismail Pasha of Amadiya in 1842 attacked it and robbed Rabban Hermizd Monastery, detained its head Hanna Jesra together with a number of monks.
- Groups of Alqusheans faced the atrocities and aggressions of Klan, one of the heads of Sendiya Tribe, and his mercenaries and killed him in 1876 AD.
- Al Sheikh year incident in 1899 where many of Alqusheans immigrated after Haji Agha Al Desooki attacked Alqush and demanded that Alqusheans join him in attacking the Kurdish Mesrouie tribes.
- In 1903 AD, the youth of the colony steadfastly to repeal the aggressions launched by Khalid Agha Al zaydki till they captured and imprisoned him together with his men in shear humiliation.
- In 1905 AD. they revenged the murder of Segha Khosho by the Kurdish Horman Tribe who came to Alqush to purchase wheat. The Alqusheans killed four whose tombs remained in the houses of Alqush till recently.
- In the same year, they defeated sixty armed Kurds of the Zedkiya Tribe who wanted to take kickbacks.
- In 1919 AD, they followed the children of some Arab tribes and forced them to leave the sheep they stole earlier.
- In 1924 AD, they revenged from the Tohla Tribe of Mosul that murdered Yousif Oudo in the Plains of Alqush. They killed two of the aggressors.
- The attack carried by Farouq Beck in 1969, the younger brother of the Yezediya, was defeated.
- In 1572, Alqush suffered diseases and famine.
- In 1596, Cholera spread among the inhabitants; as a result, 700 died. Priest Israel Shkwana described this tragedy in a poem written in 1611.
- In 1711, hunger and high cost of living returned.
- In 1757, the grasshopper year, known as the grasshopper year due to the destruction this bug/insect inflicted on the agricultural crops. It is reported that the flocks of grasshoppers blocked the sun's light during the day's peak time.
- In 1778, plague attacked Alqush and killed many of its people.
- In 1842, cholera again arrived and eliminated hundreds of Alqushean of various ages.
- Between 1866 and 1869, another wave of hunger and high cost of living dominated the place.
- In 1880 extreme high prices appeared.
- In 1906, a well-known agricultural insect, alsouna, inflicted heavy comprehensive damages in the agricultural crops.
- Between 1907 and 1908, alsouna appeared again to damage flour crops.
- Between 1917 and 1918, World War One caused extreme high prices.
As a result of these painful incidents, many families left for Karamles
Karamles
Karamlish is an ancient Assyrian town in Iraq located less than south east of Mosul, and has been occupied by Assyrians for 5000 years....
, Tel Keppe
Tel Keppe
Tel Keppe , is one of the largest formerly Assyrian towns in Iraq. It is located in the Ninawa Governorate, less than 8 miles North East of Mosul in northern Iraq.-Etymology:...
, Bartella
Bartella
Bartella is an Assyrian town located less than 13 miles east of Mosul, Iraq. The name Bartella is of Syriac origin, but its meaning is not fully agreed on by the historians...
, Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
, Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, and some left for Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and established themselves in those regions.
Demographics
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The Alqoshniye (Elkoshites) speak Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, the ancient language spoken by Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
of Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
. The Aramaic language is their first language, but Arabic is their unofficial official language and some of them are fluent in Kurdish
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
as well. There are many Alqoshniye who speak over five languages since they have become travelers of the world. When Elkoshniye migrate to the west, they teach their children the Alqoshi dialect of Aramaic rather than Arabic in order to keep the language and the dialect alive.
The popular clothing for men is identical to that of the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
peoples. It is believed that the men of Alqush adopted this clothing at the end of the 19th century as they gradually abandoned their historic clothing which was long pants and "zaboon". Instead of the turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
, they would throw braids. Their features and clothing brings them close to their Assyrian or even Sumerian forefathers and practices, just like the people of Sinjar
Sinjar
Sinjar is the name of a town and district in northwestern Iraq's Ninawa Governorate near the Syrian border. Its population at the time of the 2006 census was 39,875....
who still adhere to the same dress to the present time.
As for women, their clothings originality extends to the history of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
(Bet Nahreen). Some signs of the Hatra's kingdom clearly appear in the Poosheya that adorns the head and in the Mazer worn by the women. The Assyrian signs in the Alqushian female would appear in the long braids made of wool that extend to her ankle after connecting it to the woman's original braids. The Alqushean women exaggerated wearing golden and silver ornaments around their neck and ear and in her Poosheya that used to cover her head, that was decorated with colorful beads. The forehead was surrounded with a golden belt that skirts this Poosheya front the front side whereas black strings dangle from both sides. The skirted part of various colors and decorations would cover the woman's body from the front after it hangs from the shoulder to extend to the two knees.
Cultural and religious situation
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i cities which depended on its own economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
and resources, had a high percentage of illiteracy, but that does not prevent having a long standing educational movement represented by Mar Mikha Al Nuhedri School at the beginning of the fifth century. The efforts of priests and deacons who stressed teaching the Aramaic language and its literature and many of them left their writings. Their names glow like the comforting light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
of the moon. Some of those names are:
- Reverend Attaya AlMeqdesi in 1517, a writer and a great calligrapher.
- Reverend Hermizd Alqushi, writer and poet in Aramaic, lived in mid sixteenth century till the dawn of the seventeenth.
- Reverend Israel Alqushi, writer and poet in Aramaic, founder of writers and calligraphers school, 1541-1611.
- Reverend Yosip Qasha Keryakoos- writer and poet, probably in the same era as Israel.
- Reverend Georgis Alqushi, talented in Aramaic.
- Reverend Yelda, son of Reverend Aabid Yeshoaa, writer and literary figure in Aramaic during the eighteenth century.
- Reverend Israel, son of Reverend Shemaa’on son of Reverend Israel, known as the Israel junior, writer and poet, lived in the eighteenth century.
A number of Alqushean men have their names planted in the conscious of the people of Alqush among them are:
- Yosip Rayes (Kozlah)
- Toma TomasToma TomasToma Tomas also known by his nom de guerre Abu Joseph, was an Assyrian politician and the leader of anti-government communist millitias in northern Iraq during the 1960s and 70s.- Early life :...
, a freedom fighter
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and after establishing the kingdom rule in Iraq, the first elementary school was founded. The school taught topics in Arabic till the fourth grade and it gradually improved to offer six-year education. The Alqushean graduates of the elementary school were forced to pursue their education for the intermediate and secondary school in Baghdad, Mosul, Dehuk, and even Telkeppeh. After the national revolution of 1958, the first intermediate school in Alqush was established. Currently, Alqush houses the following schools:
- Alqush Official Kindergarten
- Alqush First Elementary School for Boys
- Alqush Elementary School for Girls
- Alqush Second Elementary School for Boys
- Alqush Secondary School for Boys (Intermediate and secondary)
- Alqush Secondary for Girls
- Commerce Secondary School
The residents of Alqush are Christians belonging to the Chaldean Catholic Church
Chaldean Catholic Church
The Chaldean Catholic Church , is an Eastern Syriac particular church of the Catholic Church, maintaining full communion with the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church...
. Alqosh of course also houses many individuals who adhere to their own philosophies.
- Mar Shemaa’on VI, 1504–1538
- Mar Shemaa’on VII Bermama, 1538–1551
- Mar Shemaa’on the eighth Denkha, 1551–1558
- Mar Elia VI, 1558–1576
- Mar Elia VII, 1576–1591
- Mar Elia VIII, 1591–1617
- Mar Elia IX Shemaa’on, 1617–1660
- Mar Elia X Youhana Merojean, 1660–1700
- Mar Elia XI Merojean, 1700–1722
- Mar Elia XII Denkha, 1722–1778
- Mar Elia XIII Esho Eyaab, 1778–1804
Also, Alqush is honored with another 5 of her sons to head the Chaldean Catholic Church as Patriarchs:
- Mar Shimun VIII Yohannan SulaqaShimun VIII Yohannan SulaqaMar Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa was the first Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, from 1553 to 1555....
, founder of the Chaldean Catholic Church in 1552. - Mar Yohannan VIII (Eliya) HormizdYohannan HormizdMar Yohannan VIII Hormizd was the last hereditary patriarch of the Eliya line of the Church of the East and the first patriarch of a united Chaldean Church...
, 1830-1838 (from Abouna family as well). He transferred the Patriarch's headquarter to Mosul. - Mar Yosip O’dooJoseph AudoMar Joseph VI Audo † was the Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church from 1847 to 1878.Joseph VI Audo was born in 1790 in Alqosh and in 1814 he became a monk of the monastery of Rabban Hormizd. He was ordained priest in 1818 and consecrated bishop of Mosul on the March 25, 1825 by the...
, 1848-1878. - Mar Yosip Emmanuael TomikaYousef VI Emmanuel II ThomasMar Yousef VI Emmanuel II Thomas † was the patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church from 1900-1947.-Life:He was born on August 8, 1852 in Alqosh, studied in the Ghazir Seminary in Beirut and was ordained priest on July 10, 1879. On July 24, 1892 he was ordained Bishop of Seert, now in Turkey, by...
, 1900-1947. - Mar Paulus ChiekhoPaul II CheikhoMar Paul II Cheikho † was the patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church from 1958-1989.-Life:He was born on November 19, 1906 in Alqosh and was ordained a priest on February 16, 1930...
, 1958-1989.
Economy
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
or plant epidemic such as soona and grasshoppers.
Towards the beginning of the sixties, Alqosh was introduced to agricultural machinery such as tractors, harvester-threshers (reapers), in addition to methods of treating and curing plant epidemic. However, irrigation means were and still are missing in the area, and farming still relies on rain. Currently, farms belong to the government and are deputized to their owners to use them after they were completely owned by their rightful owners.
Besides these huge lands, grapevines spread all over the village and produce various types of grapes, among which are the black grapes that are well known in the northern region. Some of those who are interested in the history of Alqosh believe that there were over two hundred vineyards in the village. Below are names of some of these vineyards:
Kerrmanneh D’Deyrra, Kerrma D’Rrheyqah, Kerrma D’Be Jemma, Kerrma D’Be Jaoroo, Kerrma D’Be Jejoo Rayes, Kerrma D’Be Sadeq Rayes, Kerrma D’Be Houbentta, Kerrma D’Be Zorra, Kerrma D’Be Ptooza, Kerrma D’Be Qoodda, Kerrma D’Be Peeyous Chiekho, Kerrma D’Be Mogeena Zorri, Kerrma D’Be Tayzee, Kerma D’ Reysha, Kerma D’Be Kottrra, Kerma D’Be Selow Be Dayy, Kerma D’Be Sayddah, Kerma D’Be Yaqou Gorjee, Kerma D’Be Mercous Pouleth, Kerma D’Be Shemaa’on, Kerma D’Be Benna, Kerma D’Be Yako Zorra etc.
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
, Yezide, and Arabic villages surrounding it as it housed an active market and many cabins receiving agricultural and animal products from all of these villages. Its market are full of stores and shops containing all types of commodities for shoppers of the region. A number of trades helped manufacture many of the goods used by the residents of the city and rural areas:
- Shoe making
- Carpentry - making agricultural tools such as sickles
- Smithery
- Making packsaddle for mules and donkeys
- Knitting - needle work
- Dying - dying local yarns
- Tailoring - tailoring the clothes of the region using local or imported fabric
- Tinsmithery - whitening kitchen utensils that were made of tin in the past
- Jewelry making silver and golden ornaments
- Sesame mills to produce Tahiniyi (Metthanat Bet Yaldkou, Metthanat Bet Khoubear, Metthanat Bet Bejee)
- Prepare annual ration from wheat such as Bulgur (crushed wheat), Granule, and Grits. The important tools used for this purpose are Denng, granulating machine, and Reshda making machine.
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. It also has some valleys that have winter water which run through them, though some had water passing through them during summer as well. Some of these water wells and water fountainheads are:
- Aaynna Mehalat or quarter Sainna- the old fountainhead (Aaynna Aateqtta)
- Keshffah - it was in Mehalat or quarter Sainna previously
- Aaynna Mehalat or quarter Qasha
- Aaynna Albaladiya - used to be in Hamietha area
- Aaynna Al Zeqayee - a very old fountainhead that used to be in Mehalat or quarter Qasha on Aaynna Zeqyaa valley. It was filled up with earth more than two centuries ago after an Alqushean girl from Shekwana family was killed there by the Persians.
Following are some of the wells:
- In Mehalat or quarter Qasha: Shushani, Kakka, Ballo,Ramo, Khubeir, Shekwana, Bernno, Rayess
- In Mehalat or quarter Khteytha: Khabeen, Ghazala, Khesrou, Cholagh, Jaji Kherou, Shahara, Khoushou, Shmoona, Semaa’n, Sheaa’ya Babee, Beloo, Naim Goula, Matti Goula, CHenou.
- In Mehalat or quarter Sىinna: Odisho, Zorra Kchoucha, Toma Qenaya, KKina, Yeldkoo, Sippo, Goharah.
The Strongest and most well known families in Alqosh were: Boudagh, Shikwana, Shahara, Zoree, Tomas, Aboona, Shushani, Kakka, Khubeir, and Malakha
Further reading
- Some of the article is Originally based on an article by alqosh.net, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License, used with permission.
- Addai ScherAddai ScherAddai Scher Also written Addai Sher, Addaï Scher and Addai Sheir , was the Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Siirt. He was killed by the Ottomans during the Assyrian Genocide.-Early life:...
, Notice sur les manuscrits syriaques conservés dans la bibliothèque du couvent des Chaldéens de Notre-Dame-des-Semences, Journal Asiatique Sér. 10: 8, 9 (1906). This may be found online at Gallica by searching for "Journal Asiatique". An English translation of the first portion is at http://www.tertullian.org/rpearse/manuscripts/notre_dame_des_semences.htm