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Alqush Location:
Alqush traces its history back into the great Chaldean Assyrian empire and perhaps even further back into history. Indeed, the earliest mention of Alqush appears in Sinhareeb’s era 750 B.C. as evidenced by the mural inside Sinharib’s palace that was discovered in Tel Qwenjeq (Qwenjeq Hill) in Mosul. Behind this mural, the phrase "This rock was brought from Alqush’###ountain" is carved; furthermore, a number of sites within Alqush still carry pure Assyrian names, for example, Sainna Neighborhood(which means the Moon Neighborhood) and Bee Siinnat which is a plain area south of Alqush. Within approximately three kilometers, to the west of Alqush, lies the well known ruin of Shayro Meliktha which is marked in the Iraqi ruins Map as an Chaldean Assyrian temple carrying a carving of Sinharib's picture aiming an arrow from his bow.
Alqush is an Chaldean town that has adorned Alqush Mountain *Bayhidhra Mountain* for more than twenty five centuries. The town glowingly reigns over Nineveh's northern plateau known for its fertile soil and extends southwardly across the other Chaldean towns, such as, Telassqopa, Beqoopa, Battnaya, and Telkeppeh till it reaches the great Nineveh walls.
Alqush's stone dwellings are spread along its mountain's slopes up to the tip of its plateau. They share similar decorations of all other Chaldean Assyrian colonies within Nineveh plateau, 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 and bricks and other materials.
Alqush is divided into 4 quarters/districts (mehalat): Sainna quarter to the west, Qasha quarter to the east, O’do quarter to the north, and Khatetha quarter to the south.
Alqush’s Mountain has embraced Alqush as loving mother embraces her beloved daughter for thousands of years and her children have a passion in climbing its slopes, roaming its trails, mazes, and valleys. A number of sites remain immortalized in the deep minds of Alqushean:
1. Gu’ppa D’Mmaya (cave of water) located to the north.
2. Gu’ppa Ssmoqa (the red cave) located to the north.
3. Gu’ppetha D’Toomin (small cave of Toomin) located to the north, and Toomin may be a proper name.
4. Gu’ppa D’ Magoar Gama (the Thunderous cave)located to the northeastern.
5. 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.
6. Rommta D’Jwannqeh (Mound of the Youths) located to the northwestern.
7. Khoosha (the Container) located to the northwestern.
8. Raoolla D’Mmaya (The valley of water) located to the west.
9. 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.
10. Kerrma D’Raysha (The Peak's vineyard), in the past the vineyard was located at the peak of the mountain.
11. 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 10 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.
12. Galeeya D’Qasha Hanna (Priest Hanna's Valley) located to the north.
13. 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 A.D.
14. 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 A.D. Till 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 A.D. 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.
15. Galeeya Dnerba D’Deyoeh (erroneously pronounced as Neer D’Dayoeh), the valley of Devils, located to the east of Rabban Hermizd Monastery.
16. Gu’ppetha D’Hllwi(D’Hllabi), a place for milking sheep.
17. Gu’ppetha D’Rrabi Rabba, a Small Cave of High Priest(teacher).
Various Opinions Pertaining to the Name Alqush
Conflicting opinions appear pertaining to the name
Alqush:
2· Others interpret it as Alqushtta, the god of justice.
3· Yet some others believe it comes from Alqush, the red bird.
4· Some contend it belongs to the name AalQoun, father of Nahum the Alqushian, one of the Old Testament prophets which his tomb still in Alqush today.
Before deciding the most logical of all these origins and based on the resources transferred from the inhabitants of the colony for centuries, we would like to refute those who claim that the name is originally Turkish simply because the colony has been located in its current place tens of centuries before the appearance of the invader Turks in the area. On the other hand, AalQoun father of Nahum is only a son of a Jewish family among thousands whom the Assyrian king Shelmanssor the Fifth brought between 727-722 A.D. and made them live in Mesopotamia(Bet Nahreen). Can we then call the name of an Assyrian colony after defeated prisoner?
The interpretation that seems most logical relies on Marotha, the Alqusheian Wiseman three centuries ago asserting that the name Alqush derives from Sىin, the Assyrian god known as (Alqash or Alqosh) meaning the greatest god. Its site was at Shweetha D’Gannaweh, the 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 Akeeto(the Babylonian Assyrian New Year every April 1st). They then would have a religious ceremony in honor of god Siin (god of the moon), and the god would be carried in a procession on their way back to Nineveh passing through the old Nineveh Alqush road. On their way, they would have another celebration drinking wine and dancing close to a hill called Roma Zleela (the hill of adultery). This hill has turned into a farm and no remains of the old exist nowadays. 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 of this god to its place in Alqush. Based on the foregoing, we believe that the name Alqush is taken from the Assyrian Alqush, and we are still awaiting the day when excavations in the said hill, Shweetha D’Gannaweh, will unravel new landmarks that attest the place's Assyrian identity.
The popular dress for men is identical to the Kurdish dress. It is believed that men of Alqush adopted this dress at the end of the 19 century as they gradually abandoned their historic dress that was a dress with long pant and "zaboon". Instead of the turban, they would throw braids. Their features and dress brings them close to their Assyrian forefathers practices, just like the people of Sinjjar who still adhere to the same dress to the present time.
As for women, their dress has originality extending to the history of Mesopotamia(Bet Nahreen). Some of signs of Hatra's kingdom clearly appear in the Poosheya that adorns the head and in the Mazer worn by 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 her neck and ear and in her Poosheya that used to cover her head and 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.
Alqusheans have the mountain area attitude:
They are sharp, ready to confront their attackers with full force which has ensured for them resisting their enemies who were plentiful throughout different times. Accordingly, they paid dearly through tragic challenges. Such as:
1. their tragedy by the Moguls and Tartars in 1235 A.D.
2. their resistance to tribes attacking from the north and west and from Mosul area in 1258 A.D.
3. Alqush was attacked by the Tatars or Tartars prince Betaymewsh in 1289 A.D.
4. Taymor Lank Al Selhooqi's attack of 1395 A.D.
5. Jalal Eddean's campaign, Miran Shah the son of Taymor Lank in 1400 A.D.
6. A second strike by Taymor Lank in 1401 A.D.
7. A fierce battle with the army of Baryak, Baghdad's Pasha, in 1508 A.D.
8. An attack by some Kurdish tribes in 1534 A.D.
9. A strike by the Iranian Nader Shah Koli Khan in 1742 A.D.
10. Mosa Pasha, the governor of Amadiya, approached Alqush and put fire to Rabban Hermizd Monastery in 1828 A.D.
11. Mohammed Pasha (Mira Koor), the prince of Rawandoos attacked it and killed, robbed and raped. Those killed among the young members only were around 380 in 1832 A.D.
12. Resoul Beck, Mira Koor's brother, repeated the attack in 1834 A.D.
13. Ismail Pasha of Amadiya in 1842 attacked it and robbed Rabban Hermizd Monastery, detained its head Hanna Jesra together with a number of monks.
14. 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 A.D.
15. 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.
16. In 1903 A.D., 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.
17. In 1905 A.D. 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.
18. In the same year, they defeated sixty armed Kurds of the Zedkiya Tribe who wanted to take kickbacks.
19. In 1919 A.D., they followed the children of some Arab tribes and forced them to leave the sheep they stole earlier.
20. In 1924 A.D, they revenged from the Tohla Tribe of Mosul that murdered Yousif Oudo in the Plains of Alqush. They killed two of the aggressors.
21. The attack carried by Farouq Beck in 1969 , the younger brother of the Yezediya, was defeated.
Demographic and Social Status:
According to the latest statistics, Alqush's population reaches 4500-5000 save the thousands of families that immigrated to the various Iraqi cities in different periods and those who immigrated outside the country in huge numbers as from the mid seventies and up until present. Alqush's people are called Chaldeans due to their Catholic Church that has a Chaldean Babylon chapter. From the historical viewpoint, they are proud to belong to the great Assryian Empire, and they feel gloried to belong to Mesopotamia(Bet Nahreen). Their language is Syriac, a mixture of Akkadian(Babylonian-Assyrian) and Aramaic, which is currently considered the mother tongue, and the Language of the liturgy. The Arabic language is the official language of the people, and some of them are fluent in Kurdish, too.
1· Some believe it derives from the Syriac word Alqushtti that means my god is my arrow.
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Besides all these painful incidents, a number of natural catastrophes forced hundreds of families to immigrate due to hunger and disease:
1. In 1572, Alqush suffered diseases and famine.
2. In 1596, Cholera spread among the inhabitants; as a result, 700 died. Priest Israel Shkwana described this tragedy in a poem written in 1611.
3. In 1711, hunger and high cost of living returned.
4. 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.
5. In 1778, plague attacked Alqush and killed many of its people.
6. In 1842, cholera again arrived and eliminated hundreds of Alqushean of various ages.
7. Between 1866 and 1869, another wave of hunger and high cost of living dominated the place.
8. In 1880 extreme high prices appeared.
9. In 1906, a well-known agricultural insect, alsouna, inflicted heavy comprehensive damages in the agricultural crops.
10. Between 1907 and 1908, alsouna appeared again to damage flour crops.
11. Between 1917 and 1918, World War One caused extreme high prices.
As a result of these painful incidents, many families left for TelKeif, Kermlays, Barttela, Mosul, Baghdad, and some left for Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon and established themselves in those regions.
The Cultural and Religious Situation:
Alqush, like so many other Iraqi cities and villages, 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 Aramaic language and its literature and many of them left their literary and other writings and their names glow. Some of who are:
1. Reverend Attaya AlMeqdesi in 1517, a writer and a great calligrapher.
2. Reverend Hermizd Alqushi, writer and poet in Aramaic, lived in mid sixteenth century till the dawn of the seventeenth.
3. Reverend Israel Alqushi, writer and poet in Aramaic, founder of writers and calligraphers school, 1541-1611.
4. Reverend Yosip Qasha Keryakoos- writer and poet, probably in the same era as Israel.
5. Reverend Georgis Alqushi, talented in Aramaic.
6. Reverend Yelda, son of Reverend Aabid Yeshoaa, writer and literary figure in Aramaic during the eighteenth century.
7. 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:
1. Yosip Rayes (Kozlah)
2. Toma Thomas, a freedom fighter
After World War One 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 Telkeppeh. After the national revolution of 1958, the first intermediate school in Alqush was established. Currently, Alqush houses the following schools:
1. Alqush Official Kindergarten
2. Alqush First Elementary School for Boys
3. Alqush Second Elementary School for Boys
4. Alqush Secondary School for Boys (Intermediate and secondary)
5. Alqush Elementary School for Girls
6. Alqush Secondary for Girls
7. Commerce Secondary School
As for the religious aspect, the residents of Alqush are Christians belonging to the Chaldean Catholic Church. Previously, they were part of the Church of East.
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:
1. Mar Shemaa’on VI, 1504-1538
2. Mar Shemaa’on VII Bermama, 1538-1551
3. Mar Shemaa’on the eighth Denkha, 1551-1558
4. Mar Elia VI, 1558-1576
5. Mar Elia VII, 1576-1591
6. Mar Elia VIII, 1591-1617
7. Mar Elia IX Shemaa’on, 1617-1660
8. Mar Elia X Youhana Merojean, 1660-1700
9. Mar Elia XI Merojean, 1700-1722
10. Mar Elia XII Denkha, 1722-1778
11. 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:
1. Mar Youhana Solaqa Belo, founder of the Chaldean Catholic Church in 1552.
2. Mar Youhana Hermizd, 1830-1838 (from Abouna family as well ). He transferred the Patriarch's headquarter to Mosul.
3. Mar Yosip O’doo, 1848-1878.
4. Mar Yosip Emmanuael Tomika, 1900-1947.
5. Mar Paulus Chiekho, 1958-1989.
The Economical Situation:
Most of Alqush inhabitants worked in the un-irrigated agriculture since their old days and relied on the fertile plains to the south and on the parameters of the village to have the necessary agricultural products like grain, wheat, and 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, Alqush was introduced to some kind of 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. These are well known locations such as:
Aratha D’Qottma, Jaber, Brekhta, Qenayjat, Khuo Raoolah, Gendrouz, Qeela Aalaya, Qeela Khtaya, Aaqara D’Sharrafeya, Natter Simmya, Bestta, Aratha D’Qasha, Aratha D’ Shousha, Romtta D’Glollta, Roma D’Booqraa, Roma D’ Qoolinkaa, Preshyatha, Gumllala, Mishddeh Auorkha D’Sleewaa, Aaqara D’Bindwaya, Kayppa Qeema, Kayppa D’Soroo, Aanne Qasseh, Gaymatha D’Aboounah, Aramah, Raoulla D’Lmssa, Khendaqa, B’Kallba, Brahaat, Aaqara D’Hhttarra, Khebraa D’Khendeq, Qoura D’Seejen, Qoura D’Hesyanni, Khrootha, Gerra, Mella D’Eshoaa, Aaqara D’Maknnen, Aaqara D’Dayrra,Roulla D’Kaffra, Aaqara D’Bowzayeh, Aaqara D’Bebanno, Deyar Dayz ... etc.
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 El Qosh believe that there were over two hundred vines in the village, but now only two or three remain. Below are names of some of these vines:
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, Yezeede, 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 was 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 villages and rural areas:
1. Shoe making
2. Carpentry- making agricultural tools such as sickles
3. Smithery
4. Making packsaddle for mules and donkeys
5. Knitting- needle work
6. Dying- dying local yarns
7. Tailoring - tailoring the clothes of the region using local or imported fabric.
8. Tinsmithery - whitening kitchen utensils that were made of tin in the past.
9. Jewelry making silver and golden ornaments.
10. Sesame mills to produce Tahiniyi (Metthanat Bet Yaldkou, Metthanat Bet Khoubear, Metthanat Bet Bejee).
11. 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.
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 long time ago. It also has some valleys that have winter water 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: Shekwana, Bernno, Rayess
·In Mehalat or quarter Khteytha: Khabeen, Ghazala, Khesrou, Cholagh, Jaji Kherou, Shahara, Khoushou, Boudagh, 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.
In conclusion, we state that Alqush participated in building the respected free life for the Iraqis, and its children through their struggle and hard work fed the movement of progress in the country and sacrificed their lives for the sake of Bet Nahreen *Iraq* the mother homeland
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بلدة
