Ergani

Ergani, during the Ottoman period, was an administrative unit affiliated with the Diyarbekir Eyaleti, and was recorded in tahrir, icmal, and tevcih registers as a sancak, liva, kaza, and sometimes a nahiye. It is considered one of the region's main Kurdish settlements and administrative centers and is known for its copper mine (Ergani Madeni).

In Tahrir Records

Ergani regularly appears in the tahrir records of the Diyarbekir Eyaleti starting from the 16th century. In the Vilayet-i Diyar-i Bekr ve ‘Arap ve Zü’l-Kadiriyye Defteri dated 937/1530, there are tahrirs belonging to the Ergani sancak along with sancaks such as Amid, Mardin, Musul, Arabgir, Çermik, Siverek, Kiğı, Çemişgezek, Harput, and Ruha (Cilt 3, s. 20). Similarly, in the icmal defter numbered 251 pertaining to the 972/1564 period, the revenues and tax items of the villages of the livas of Amid, Mardin, Birecik, Ruha, Çermik, Ergani, Harput, Arabgir, Kiğı, and Çemişgezek, affiliated with Diyarbekir, were meticulously recorded (Cilt 3, s. 21).

The name Ergani appears not only as an independent liva but also as a nahiye in the tahrirs of neighboring sancaks. In the Çapakçur Mufassal Tahrir Defteri, nahiyes such as Çüngüş, Ergani, Ulubad, Kuzabad, and Gölcük are recorded (Cilt 3, s. 22). It is noteworthy that in the tahrir defters belonging to the Diyarbekir Eyaleti, administrative units frequently changed, and sancaks affiliated with an eyalet were recorded under different statuses over time; these defters are fundamental sources for identifying the villages and hamlets inhabited by Kurds, the products they produced, tribal names, and the taxes they paid (Cilt 3, s. 19-20).

Administrative Status

In terms of its administrative status, Ergani was counted among the classical Ottoman sancaks. It is stated that Ergani, along with Hasankeyf, Çemişgezek, Harput, Siverek, Nusaybin, and Sincar, held the status of a classical Ottoman sancak, unlike units with yurtluk-ocaklık status (Cilt 3, s. 51). In the defter numbered 1452 of the Ruus Defteri Kalemi, it is mentioned among sancaks such as Amid, Cerberd, Ergani, Ruha, Kabur, Tercil, Çermik, Rakka, and Sincar under the heading “Elviye-i Tabi-i vilayet-i Diyarbekir” (Cilt 3, s. 48). In the records belonging to the Kamil Kepeci classification, Diyarbekir vilayeti is also listed together with Amid, Ruha, Ergani, Görgil, Siverek, Musul, Harput, and other administrative units (Cilt 3, s. 50).

Copper Mine

Ergani was also an important center due to its copper mine. In the mint section of the Cevdet classification, there are documents from the 18th century concerning mines in the geography of Kürdistan and the collection of their taxes; in this context, it is seen that an order was sent to the governor of Diyarbekir regarding the transportation of provisions taken from Harput villages for the Ergani mine workers, to be carried by the villages' animals for a certain fee (Cilt 3, s. 42).

Late Period Administrative Position

In late period sources, Ergani's administrative position is documented more clearly. In Diyarbekirli Said Paşa's work published under the title “Not Defteri,” Ergani and Ergani Madeni are mentioned along with Diyarbekir/Amid, Atak, Erbil (Cilt 4, s. 80). In 19th-century geographical works, Ergani is shown among the Diyarbekir mutasarrıflıkları along with Mardin (Cilt 4, s. 117); it is recorded that the kazas of Palu, Çermik, and Siverek were affiliated with the Ergani sancak (Cilt 4, s. 119). In the statistics of the same period, it is stated that the Ergani Madeni Sancağı consisted of 229 villages and 2 nahiyes, and that the kazas of Palu and Çermik were attached to this sancak (Cilt 4, s. 127).