Zap

Zap is the name given to two major tributaries of the Dicle Nehri in Yukarı Mezopotamya: Büyük (Yukarı) Zap and Küçük (Aşağı) Zap. The rivers hold a central position in the geography of Kurdish history and are frequently mentioned in sources ranging from antiquity to the Islamic period.

Islamic Period Geography

Islamic period geographical literature defines Büyük (Yukarı) Zap and Küçük (Aşağı) Zap as the most important tributaries of the Dicle Nehri; El-Verdî refers to both rivers as "iki Zap" or "Zabiyan" and states that both Zaps originate from Azerbaycan and Ermenistan (Vol. 2, p. 85). These rivers are among the waterways that have formed the first human settlements since ancient times, playing a fundamental role in the development of agriculture in addition to being transportation routes and food sources; in Islamic geography books, detailed descriptions are dedicated to these rivers due to their importance (Vol. 2, p. 84).

Ancient Sources

Ancient sources also convey valuable information about the Zap region. One of these works is notable for containing information, especially about the settlements around the Dicle and Zap (Büyük and Küçük) rivers and the routes used in this geography (Vol. 1, p. 30). Within the framework of the treaty reached between the Persler and Romalılar in MS 298/99, it was recorded that places like Zabdikene (Zap river vicinity) would be annexed to Roma (Vol. 1, p. 40). Ammianus Marcellinus, referring to the Sasani-Roma struggle in the fourth century, mentions the "Zap halkı" among the local peoples he cites; such records are important for providing information ranging from the religious beliefs to the daily practices of the tribes living in the region (Vol. 1, p. 19).

Syriac Sources

Syriac sources provide details about the religious life of settlements along the Büyük Zap. One work provides details, especially regarding the Zerdüştî beliefs of the people residing in settlements around Erbil and Büyük Zap Suyu; this information is considered noteworthy for guiding discussions about whether Kürtler were Zerdüştî (Vol. 1, p. 55). Mar Qardagh Tarihi, which sheds light on the late antique history of the region, also contains important information regarding the Erbil-centered Adiabene region (the region extending from Nusaybin to the Diyala Nehri) and directly mentions Kürtler (Vol. 1, p. 58).