The Eastern Syriac Monastic Tradition on Mount Izlo/Izla
The Eastern Syriac Monastic Tradition on Mount Izlo/Izla

Summary/Abstract: This study comprehensively examines the Eastern Syriac monastic tradition located in the Izlo/Izla Mountain basin, north of the Nusaybin district in the province of Mardin, through the monasteries of Mar Yuhannon Tayyoyo, Mar Yoreth Aleksandroyo, Mar Evgin, and Kaşgarlı Mar Abrohom. Since late antiquity, Mount İzlo/İzla, situated in the Roman–Sassanid border region, has played a decisive role in shaping Eastern Syriac theological thought and monastic architecture as a geography of intense religious, cultural, and political interaction. Based on data obtained from archaeological surface surveys conducted in the provinces of Mardin and Batman (Tur Abdin) between 2017 and 2024, with the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this article examines the monasteries in question in the context of their historical development, their relationship with the topography, their architectural features, and their current state of preservation. The study also analyses rock-cut and masonry construction techniques, spatial organisation, liturgical arrangements, and relic applications using a comparative approach. Each structure is evaluated within its natural environment and historical context, revealing the continuity and diversity of East Syriac monastery architecture. The study also addresses deterioration due to natural environmental conditions in rock-hewn and masonry architecture, material usage (rubble and cut stone), structural wear, late-period additions, and modern interventions, discussing the effects of these elements on the original architectural identity of the structures. This assessment ensures that the monasteries in question are considered not only in historical terms but also in the context of conservation issues. In the conclusion, the common architectural elements (single-nave plan, apse arrangement, use of niches, carved crosses and reliquary typology) and distinguishing features of the four monasteries are identified. emphasising that these structures are among the most original examples of East Syriac architecture in Anatolia and reflect the region's uninterrupted monastic tradition in Christian history.

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