Explore the enduring wonder that is the story of Northern Mesopotamia – the Cradle of Civilisation – from an Irish perspective. Embark on an extraordinary odyssey through south-east Turkiye with Nicholas Mackey as he guides you through a captivating region embraced by the legendary Euphrates and Tigris rivers-the Cradle of Civilisation. Here he explores the ancient wonders of Antakya, Dara, Harran, Mardin, Gaziantep, and Diyarbakir, peeling back the layers of empires, cultures and peoples that have shaped millennia. Goebeklitepe and Karahan Tepe, near the contemporary city of Sanliurfa/Urfa, stand as iconic archaeological landmarks with the promise to revolutionize our understanding of the past. Artefacts from these locations, dating back nearly 12,000 years, challenge established notions of the origins of civilisation. His daily journal serves as the genesis of this literary tour-de-force: a seamless blend of travelogue, memoir, history, archaeology, poetry, prose, and memorable imagery – evocative of Nicholas coming of age in Ireland with an unquenchable desire to travel, ‘to seek and find’ (Whitman). This is not just an eclectic tale but also will remain an enduring presence in your mind, while inviting you to rethink the fabric of our shared human history. Proceeds from the sale of this book will go directly to help the communities still affected by the earthquake of February 2023.
