In Italian culture, the word “tarantella” evokes images of a frenzied spinning dance traditionally played at weddings. However, this popular native dance of Southern Italy has a history and myth spanning several centuries. The dance, originally an Italian folk dance of the lower- and middle-classes, has been labeled as a dance to cure sickness and … Continue reading Tarantella: Heal Through Dance

Producer’s Note: In our Kanaga Series’ 8th Episode, we talk about the Ley Lines/Earth’s Energy Grid. We mention Göbeklitepe could be on one of these grids. In fact there is no any information based on this idea. It is purely fictional. But the Ley Lines Theory exists. Whether you believe or not, it is a fascinating … Continue reading Ley Lines: Earth’s Energy Grid

The Birth of Religion We used to think agriculture gave rise to cities and later to writing, art, and religion. Now the world’s oldest temple suggests the urge to worship sparked civilization. Every now and then the dawn of civilization is reenacted on a remote hilltop in southern Turkey. The reenactors are busloads of tourists—usually … Continue reading GÖBEKLİTEPE: The World’s Oldest Temple

Harran (Akkadian Harrânu, “intersecting roads”; Latin Carrhae): ancient city in Mesopotamia, famous for a temple of the Moon god Sin and the defeat of the Roman general Crassus in 53 BCE (“battle of Carrhae”). Early History From the third millennium BCE until medieval times, Harran is mentioned as an important trade center in northern Mesopotamia, … Continue reading Harran:The Center for Knowledge and The Moon God Sin

In the movie “Sounds of Mardin” produced by the Mardin Museum Directorate, three traditional folk songs of Mardin were vocalized by 48 local artists in Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish, Syriac and Armenian languages. The movie aims at promoting and making thousands of years old tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Mardin Province visible and viable. Enjoy … Continue reading Sounds of Mardin / Video

When travelers visit the south-eastern Anatolian province of Mardin, they usually feel that they need to see just one place – the capital of the province. Meanwhile, in the area there are relatively little known but very interesting ruins of the ancient city of Dara. In the early Byzantine times, Dara was an important fortress, … Continue reading DARA: Ancient City