page_title: Christianity in Iraq
section_title: Christian communities
hierarchical_section_title: Christianity in Iraq / Christian communities
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Karte der Gegend von Basra, 17. Jahrhundert. Der Leidener Verleger Pieter van der Aa (1659-1733) veröffentlichte nicht nur Einzelkarten und Atlanten, sondern gab auch mehrere Bücher heraus, in die er viele Karten und Ansichten aufnahm. In seinem größten Kartenbuch, der „Galérie agréable du Monde“, die er 1729 mit 27 Bänden abschloß, befanden sich über 3000 Kupferstiche, die von den besten holländischen Graveuren stammten. Dieser Publikation ist die hier abgebildete Karte des südlichen Mesopotamien entnommen. Basra, der Hauptort der gleichnamigen Provinz, war lange Zeit ein wichtiger Stapelplatz des arabischen Seehandels, dessen Verbindungen bis nach China reichten. Anfang des 17. Jahrhunderts schüttelte ein mächtiger einheimischer Großgrundbesitzer (Afrasiyab), das seit 1534 bestehende türkische Joch vorübergehend ab und ernannte sich selbst zum Fürsten (Emir) des Gebietes am Schatt el-Arab. Er knüpfte mit den Portugiesen Beziehungen an, worauf diese in der Stadt eine Handelsniederlassung errichteten und sogar eine Kirche erbauen durften. In der Titelkartusche hielt der Künstler einige Wesenszüge des Landes fest. So versinnbildlichen die beiden Flussgötter die großen Ströme Euphrat und Tigris. Die Hirten mit ihren Viehherden sowie die Dattelpalmen weisen auf die wichtigsten Handelsgüter hin, während die moslemischen Krieger die Unabhängigkeit des Fürstentums demonstrieren. English: A Map of the Basra Region, 17th century: The Leyden publisher Pieter van der Aa (1659-1733) did not publish individual maps and atlases only but also edited several books, in which he included many maps and views. His largest map collection, the “Galérie agreeable due Monde”, which he concluded with 27 volumes in 1729, contained more than 3,000 copperplates, which were supplied by the best Dutch engravers. This map of southern Mesopotamia has been taken from that publication. Basra, principal town of the same province, was for a long time an important staple of Arabian sea-borne trade, whose connections reached to China. Early in the 17th century a powerful local landed proprietor (Afrasiyab) managed to temporarily shake off Turkish rule, which had been existing since 1534, an appointed himself the sovereign of the region at Shatt el-Arab. He entered into relations with the Portuguese, whereupon these set up a trading post and were even allowed to build a church a church in the town. In this title cartouche the artist depicted some characteristic features of the country. The river-gods allegorize the large rivers Euphrat and Tigris. The herdsmen with their stock and the date-palms hint at the most important commodities, while the Moslem warriors demonstrate the independence of the principality. Français&#160;: Carte de la région de Basra, 17e siècle Pieter van der Aa (1659-1733), éditeur de Leyde, publiait non seulement de cartes individuelles ou de atlas, mais aussi plusieurs livres dans lesquels il insérait beaucoup de cartes et de vues. Dans son plus vaste livre aux cartes appelé «&#160;Galérie agréable du Monde&#160;» qu’il acheva avec 27 tomes en 1729, se trouvaient plus de 3000 estampes établies par les meilleurs graveurs hollandais. C’est de cette publication que notre carte de Mésopotamie du sud a été prise. Basra, chef-lieu de la province de même nom, était longtemps un important lieu d’entrepôt du commerce maritime des Arabes dont le relation d’affaires s’étendaient jusqu’en China. Au commencement di 17e siècle, un grand propriétaire (Afrasiyab) puissant de ce pays, après s’être délivré passagèrement du joug turc ture qui avait existé depuis 1534, se nomma lui-même prince (emir) de la région du Chatt el-Arab. Il entrait en affaires avec les Portugais et alors, ceux-ci établirent un comptoir dans la ville et eurent même la permission d’édifier un église. Dans la cartouche de titre, l’artiste traçait quelques traits essentiels de ce pays. On y voit les dieux de rivières symbolisant l’Euphrate et le Tigre, ces grands fleuves de la Mésopotamie. Les bergers avec leurs troupeaux ainsi que les dattiers renvoient aux biens de commerce les plus importants tandis que les guerriers musulmanes manifestent l’indépendance de cette principauté.
context_page_description: The Christians of Iraq are considered to be one of the oldest continuous Christian communities in the world. The vast majority of Iraqi Christians are indigenous Eastern Aramaic-speaking ethnic Assyrians. Non-Syriac Iraqi Christians are largely Arab Christians and Armenians, and a very small minority of Kurdish and Iraqi Turkmen Christians. Most present-day Christians are ethnically different from Kurds and they identify themselves as being separate peoples, of different origins and with distinct histories of their own. Syriac Christianity was first established in Mesopotamia, and the Church of the East and its successor churches were established in central-southern Iraq. Syriac Christianity and would eventually spread to becoming one of the most popular Christian churches in the Middle East and Fertile Crescent Region, and would spread as far as India and China. Iraq plays a rich and vital contribution to Christian history, and after Israel, Iraq has the most biblical history than any other country in the world. The patriarch Abraham was from Uruk, in southern Iraq, modern day Nasiriya, and Rebecca was from northwest Iraq. Additionally, Daniel lived in Iraq most of his life.
caption: A new epoch began in the 17th century when Emir Afrasiyab of Basra allowed the Portuguese to build a church
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