The Chaldean Monastery of Mār Gīwargīs; Main gate leading into the residence of the monks , Mosul

(1b) The monastery (2) of Mār Gīwargīs (1a) was renovated (3) the year 1984. 1 2 3 182 AB. Bartellī Spelled Bartellī or Bartellā or in Vernacular Aramaic Baretlā, the small town is located some 20 km to the southeast of Mosul, on the road linking the two major cities Mosul (AA) and Erbil (C). On the same road Bartellī, Karamlēs (AC) and Qaraqōš (AD) make a series of Christian towns, each separated from each others by a few kilometres (see the attached map and the one in section A above). As in the case of the latter two, Bartellī is ancient and its rural nature has continued probably since Assyrian times if not earlier. The town is inhabited almost exclusively by Christians, Syriac Catholic and Orthodox, all speaking a vernacular Aramaic dialect, evidence of its antiquity. Before the 7th century, Bartellī was “Nestorian” but then it passed to “Monophysitism” under the influence of the famous monastery of Mār Mattā (AG.01) located not far away from it to the northeast. We know quite a bit of its history during and after the 12th century, especially in relation to the afore-mentioned monastery, but also as one of the sees of mafriōnē who resided in the church of Ahudemeh. Unfortunately, this church, which must have contained several important inscriptions, is no longer standing and even its location in the town is unknown. Many churches have been destroyed through the centuries and certainly during the invasion of Nādir Shah and his army in the middle of the 18th century. Most of the religious buildings and their inscriptions are dated after the latter's invasion. My work in Bartellī has been greatly facilitated by the Reverend Fathers Qūriaqōs Hannō Mattōkā, Aliās al-Sabtī, and Hannā Yāqō whom I thank wholeheartedly. 183 AB.01 The Syriac Orthodox Church of Mārt(y) Šmūnī Mārt(y) Šmūnī or Bašmūnī is the mother of the seven sons who were slaughtered by Antiochus IV for refusing to submit to his pagan practices according to 2 Macc 7:1-41; on her popularity in Syriac Christianity see WITAKOWSKI 1994, p. 153-168. The martyrs were particularly venerated by the Syriac people and many churches were built for their memories (see for instance AD.06, AG.01, BE.01, and BG.01). The present one owned by the Syriac 184 Orthodox community is located to the east of the town near the main route passing by Bartellī. The date of its foundation is unknown, and it is believed that it replaced the church of Ahudemeh, once the headquarters of a few mafriōnē. It has been restored several times, though commemorative inscriptions are no longer available. One such inscription commemorating the restoration of 1807 is now buried under the courtyard of the church. This Syriac Orthodox church owns a baptismal font dated to 1343 (AB.01.01), though originally it came from Bāsakra; FIEY 1965-1968, vol. II, p. 430f.