Sacrifice at the Bridge 

The legend of Dalaleh Bridge (Gishra d'Dalaleh) is one of the most popular and widespread legends passed down by many generations of Assyrians  

By: Robert Ewan  

The ancient Zakho or Dalaleh Bridge is located on the River Khabour near the Iraqi-Turkish border. It was built near a major trade route that linked inland Iraq and Iran to the ports of East Mediterranean and Asia Minor. In the past, the bridge was very important, as it was the only place one could cross the River Khabour. Convoys of traders, carrying raisins and cotton, and military brigades all passed this bridge.

The bridge is about 114 meters long and 4.70 meters wide, the height from the water surface is 15.50 meters. The walls are put together in a beautiful and decorated way by using lime for plastering the walls and consist of a wide and high arch in the middle and other smaller arches on the sides, there are five arches in total. The stones used in the construction of the bridge vary in size – some are more than a meter in length and 80 centimetres wide. On its eastern arches of the bridge, there are rare drawings of the 12 astrological signs unseen on any other bridges in the area

Many historians have researched the bridge’s history but no one have managed to conclude the year it was built and by who, as the bridge’s stones have no original inscriptions or writing on who built it. Some think it may have been built during Byzantine times. Others believe it was built later and dates back to the Abbasid era, between 8^th and 13th century. Some say it was built by Seleucus I Nicator who founded the Seleucid dynasty following the breakdown of Alexander’s empire.

Some archaeologists in Iraq think The Dalaleh Bridge was erected by one of the Badinan Sultans (Badinan Emirate, a Kurdish principality from the 13th century to the mid-19th century) but it is certain that the bridge was built on the remains of an ancient one. It is possible that one of the Badinan princes repaired an old partly destroyed bridge.

The famous Arab traveller Muhammad bin Ahmed known as Al Maqdisi, who studied and travelled extensively in Iraq, stated in his book in 985 AD that the bridge was built at least 1000 years ago. Another traveller Khalaf al Baqi visited the bridge and recorded the ruins of an old town and a castle on a hill called Kraa Baft.

The explorer Ibin Shaddad, who lived during the 13th century Iraq, visited the bridge and mentioned the ruins of a town he called Khanqa Bafta.The famous English traveller Gertrude Bell commented about the bridge in her book Amurath to Amurath, which was published in London in1910.

Like every ancient bridge in the world, the Dalaleh Bridge has its own story to tell. One of the storeys revolves around a young man in the Abbasid era that fell in love with a girl living in the village on the opposite side of the river; he built the bridge so he could be with her. Another story focuses on a Turkish architect who came to Zakho in the middle Ages. Once he completed bridge, the Turkish governor had amputated one of his hands to ensure that the bridge would remain unique. 

By far the most popular and widespread legend regarding the bridge is an endearing tale, passed down by many generations of Assyrians. According to this legend, many builders and masons were gathered to build the bridge under the leadership of the master builder. The builder built the bridge by constructing both ends and then having them linked in the middle. During the day, the workers would complete the centre of the bridge only to crumple by nigh. This incident continued for weeks.

As the last ray of sun had lifted upon the horizon, the agitated builders sat bewildered and confused at was causing the collapse of the base. After several hours of discussions, they all concurred that the bridge must be cursed by God and as a last resort an offering must be made to God. Therefore, they decided to sacrifice the first thing that walked into the building site by placing it at the base of the bridge. They all pledged to keep this as a secret. Most of the builders brook their promise and told their wives and children not to come near the bridge. The master builder kept his vow.

As the morning sun unfolded, the builders resumed their task of building the centre of the bridge. To the horror of the master builder he saw his daughter in law Dalaleh approaching the bridge with her dog.The noise of her singing set the air alight.She was bringing food to the builders.Somtimes the dog would overtake her and other times would fall behind her.

As it happens, luck interfered with pitiless cruelty and as she approached the bridge her dog fell behind her. Her distraught father in law fainted and collapsed.Dalaleh sprinkled some water on his face, and as he opened his eyes he clutched her tightly, he took a deep breath as if preparing to pronounce a deep sentence. He told her about the vow made by the builders and that she will be encased in the foundations of the central pillar. To the amazement of the father in law, Dalaleh agreed to fulfil their vow and immolate herself for the benefit of her beloved people. The ferocity of her desire shocked him, but there was nothing he could do to stem it.

 Dalaleh was placed at the foundations of the central pillar. Her father in law allowed for a small gap in his building so that she could breathe and they could pass food and water to her. The distraught builders resumed their work. A renewed energy swept through them spurred by the encouraging words from Dalaleh

When the last gleam of light faded the gloomy builders returned to their homes. A kind of stillness descended on the village, heavy, cloying, like the stillness before the storm thereafter their was no sound except for the screams of a child longing for his vanished mother. A melancholy mist hung over the bridge, in the silent night tears leaked from Dalaleh’s eyes and dripped down her cheeks, but no matter how hard she cried nor how deeply she sobbed the desolation did not dissipate. She thought of her son and was wracked by sorrow and longing for the days she held him in her arms. 

Dalaleh’s sister wept bitterly as she saw her child calling for his mum. There was something about his cries that made her husband cover his ears and flee, as if the moans of some poor, damned soul had leaked out of hell. It was a sound of torment and it drilled into his most primal part of his brain. A sudden surge of anger welled up inside him and he picked his axe and headed for the bridge. He took a deep breath flooding his body with oxygen and started hammering at the base like a tormented madman. 

Every time he hit the base of the bridge, Dalaleh could feel pain inside her. She pleaded to him to stop and to go back and raise their child. She told him that she is carrying the bridge on her shoulders. Her husband could not hear her cries and, his eyes were mist with tears and continued hitting the bridge until he collapsed.

Dalaleh saw his pale and haggard face devoid of life. A chilling howl of lament emerged from her throat; her wails of pain had reached the vaults of heaven. Her heart banged her ribs as if it wanted out; she felt heavens spreading inside her. She breathed long and deep, slowly her eyes closed. She suffered the torments of martyrdom and in her agonies transcended all agonies. 

With the construction of modern concrete and iron bridges in the area, the Dalaleh Bridge has become much less important. But locals still use the bridge to get from one Zakho neighbourhood to another and the bridge, with its five arches and large stones, still has an undeniable charm.
The Dalaleh Bridge is mostly a tourist attraction now and according to Zakho’s tourism department, between 100,000 and 150,000 persons visit the site each year. However, the bridge is in urgent need of maintenance. Several civil society organizations in Iraqi Kurdistan demanded that the bridge be better maintained and in accordance to UNESCO’s scientific standards and to have this bridge listed as one of the world’s important archaeological sites. One only wonders: will this historical relic go the same way as so many of Iraq’s lost antiquities have?

 

References:
www.niqash.com
www.flicker.comwww.wikipidia.com
Bayn- Al Nahrain Quarterly, volume 7, number 28, 1979