ERDÊ CASTLE

X: 41.466272 Y: 37.540886 Z: 1.173.89

The castle, which was built on a high rock mass approximately 800m southeast of Yamanlar village, is on a hill overlooking the surrounding area. Yamanlar (Erdê) village, which is within the borders of Gercüş district of Batman province, is located 49km southeast of Batman center and 7km southeast of Gercüş county center (Picture 1). (Picture 2) Known as Kale Êrde by the locals, the castle extends in the north-south direction.

The castle is in ruins and abandoned today. Many places have been observed in Erdê Castle, but almost all of these places are in ruins and their borders are not clear. In the inventory studies, a total of 4 venues were examined. The place no. 1 is located in the north of the castle. The upper cover of the place is in ruins, there are only wall remains and it has a rectangular plan. The interior of the room, whose entrance is probably in the south, is filled with earth and rubble (Picture 3). There is room no. 2 in the south of the place no. 1. The top cover is completely destroyed and the place is in ruins. There are sections within the space; boundaries are not clear. Although the entrance to room 2 is not clear, it is thought that the entrance is in the south (Picture 4). There is a cistern in the south of the place. It is said that this cistern was used as a tunnel by the local people in the past, but it cannot be understood due to the rubble stones inside. Place 3, located in the east of the castle, also forms the eastern border of the castle. The upper cover of the place is completely ruined and the walls are placed on the bedrock (Picture 5). On the western wall of the place, there is a section for storage carved into the bedrock. Place 4, located in the south of the castle, also forms the southern border of the castle. The upper cover of the place is vaulted and the northwest part of the upper cover is in ruins. The remaining top cover has survived to the present day partially intact. The space extends in the north-south direction and consists of two parts. The walls and top cover of the place were built with irregular rubble stones using cas and horosan mortar (Picture 6).