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Birkleyn Caves and the Tigris Tunnel

Nature / Cave

Birkleyn Caves and the Tigris Tunnel

Lice, Diyarbakır

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A natural tunnel through which a tributary of the Tigris flows, and caves bearing inscriptions and reliefs of Assyrian kings.

Safety warning

There is flowing water inside the tunnel; do not enter at high flow, and use a flashlight. Check transport and security conditions in the area with the local authorities (governorship/district governorate, gendarmerie) before visiting.

Its story

In the Birkleyn (Bırkleyn) area north of Lice there are five caves in parallel cliffs. The Dibni Stream, one of the eastern tributaries of the Tigris, enters one of these caves and exits at the other end; this natural tunnel, about 870 meters long, is known as the 'Tigris Tunnel'. The Assyrians regarded this place as the source of the Tigris; at the end of the tunnel, cuneiform inscriptions and royal reliefs of Tiglath-Pileser I and Shalmaneser III were carved. The second cave was used from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. The site was first explored in 1862 and documented again in 2004 by a team from the University of Munich. It is a registered archaeological site.

Key facts

Period
Assyrian (11th–9th-century BC inscriptions)
Admission
Open area
Getting there
North of Lice, near Örtülü/Abalı village
Visit duration
1.5–2 hours

Trip purpose

  • Seasonal
  • Photography

Location

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38.52992, 40.54602

Reviews

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Source: Web derlemesi (doğrulanmalı): https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicle_T%C3%BCneli | https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkleyn_Ma%C4%9Faralar%C4%B1 | https://kulturenvanteri.com/yer/birkleyn-magaralari/ | https://goturkiye.com/diyarbakir/see | https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/13482348341