Mardin

Mardin rises in terraces on a slope facing the Mesopotamian Plain. Houses of limestone are layered so none blocks another's view; the city as a whole looks out over the expanse. Below lies flatland; above, the art of stonecraft.

Syriac, Arabic, Kurdish, and Turkish—several languages spoken on the same street here. Telkari silversmithing and hand weaving are two refined crafts that women have sustained for centuries.