NINEVEHNINEVEH Publication of the Assyrian Foundation of America Established 1964 Volume 27, Numbers 1-2 — First-Second Quarters ܀ 2004 A Special Nineveh Magazine Series In This Issue: Bekhma, The Cave Monastery On The Zab River P.9 ܢܝܢܘܐ ، ܡܢܝܢܐ 72 ، ܕܘܒܩ ܐ 1܀Nineveh, Volume 27, Number 1&2 7 ܢـܝـܢـܘܐ NINEVEH First-Second Quarters 2004 In this issue: :ܐܧܝܧܣ ܐܗܐܒ Volume 27, Numbers 1-2 English Section Editor: Robert Karoukian Editorial Staff: Firas Jatou Dr. Joel Elias From the Editor…………………………………..…...3 Tobia Giwargis From Our Readers………………………………..…...4 Circulation: Sargon Shabbas The Heart of Assyria……………………………....….6 Cave-Monastery Near Bekhma……………………….8 Introduction to Modern East Assyrian II………..…..12 Assyrians in Sweden…………………………….…..16 Publications...………………………………………..20 POLICY Subscriptions and Donations…………………….…..21 In Memoriam………………………………………...22 Articles submitted for publication will be selected by 80th Anniversary of Russian Urmia………………....23 the editorial staff on the basis of their relative merit to Assyrian literature, history, and current events. Opinions expressed in NINEVEH are those of the re- spective authors and not necessarily those of NINE- VEH or the Assyrian Foundation of America. ܀ܐܝܪܘܬܐ ܐܩܘܪܦ܀ ܵ ܲ - ܐܬܵ ܘܟܙܕܵ ܐܪܬܐ ܘܟܙܵ Assyrian Foundation of America was established in ܼ ܼ ܼ ܼ ܵ June 1964 and was incorporated in the state of Califor- 46............................ܐܬܣܐܣܹ ܵ ܲ ̈ ܵ ܵ ܲ ܵ ܵ nia as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, dedicated 48...............ܐܬܘܪܪܼ ܥܕܼ ܐܧܭܸ ܕ ܐܒܼܵ ܰܟܠܸ ܐܝܵ ܬܦܩܼ ܐܧܭܪܘܦ to the advancement of the education of Assyrians. 4;.........................ܐܝܝܪܘܩ ܐܝܕܡܟ ܐܝܪܘܬܐ ܐܕܣܘܠ 53.................................... ܐܬܣܐܣ ܨܤܝܐ ܠܗ Address letters to: 55...................... ܐܬܣܐܣ .ܬܝܣܕ ܐܥܪܐ ܨܝܪܗܦ ܰܝܒ The Editor 57....................... ܐܬܣܐܣ ܐܰܣܘܐ ܐܕܚ ܐܩ ܐܤܭ ܕܚ NINEVEH 59...............................ܐܝܪܘܬܐ ܐܩ ܐܝܰܝ ܐܡܠܘܭ P.O. Box 2660 64................................ ܐܝܧܡܒܭ ܐܔܠܘܦ ܢܥ Berkeley, California 94702 64....................................... ܐܰܦܰܦ ܐܧܝܣܪ 66........................... ܢܝܐܝܦܕ ܥܝܠܘ ܕ ܐܣܬܣܘܬܠ Annual Subscription ܲ ܵ ܵ ܵ ܵ 69............................ܐܝܩܘܟܣܼ ܐܪܬܭ ܬܼ ܘܧܼ ܝܡܓܼ ܼܰ ܣܸ U.S.A……………………………...…….$ 20.00 CANADA…………………………...…..$ 25.00 OVERSEAS………………………….…$ 30.00 Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted with acknowledgement of the source. Visit our Website at: All materials submitted become the property of www.assyrianfoundation.org NINEVEH MAGAZINE ܢܝܢܘܐ ، ܡܢܝܢܐ 72 ، ܕܘܒܩ ܐ 1܀Nineveh, Volume 27, Number 1&2 7 may speak very divergent, sometimes mutually unintelligi- From the Editor: ble, dialects of that same language, can usually communi- cate with ease using the written form. Examples of this Language phenomenon can be found in many languages that are spo- ken by people in wide geographic regions. For example, The most basic and important function of language is Arabic is the major spoken language throughout the Mid- to serve as a medium for communication; this includes dle East and North Africa, with very divergent, and fre- interaction among friends and family members as well as quently mutually unintelligible, dialects. However, the official religious or secular discourse. Although, ini- Standard Written Arabic, said to be based on the language tially, language may have been a purely spoken mode of of Qurcan, is understood by most, and serves as the com- communication, two other very important forms of ex- mon language for communication. Even English, which pression of language developed very early on: singing/ serves as the primary language for many people through- poetry and writing. Of course, there is another, non- out the world, has many dialects and phonetic variations linguistic, form of communication: art. which make its spoken form very difficult to understand If individuals who speak the same language live in close by English-speakers from other regions. However, the proximity, as in the same village or town, then, spo- written form is more-or-less standardized and can be un- ken language is sufficient for communication. How- derstood by all. ever, to communicate with individuals who are far (this Languages, like Chinese, whose writing system is picto- includes both geographical distance as well as chronologi- graphic, have the advantage of more-or-less complete dis- cal distance; e.g., to communicate with a friend in an- sociation of the written from the spoken language. That other city, or to preserve knowledge for future genera- is, people in different regions of China who may speak tions), another alternative is needed; including poetry/song very different dialects, can communicate easily in writing. and/or writing –in the past century, electronic audiovisual That is because, unlike in alphabet-based languages, telecommunication has become the dominant mode for where the written form tries to mimic the sound of the communication and storage of information. spoken language, in pictographic writing systems, differ- Poetry and songs may be thought of as an intermedi- ent people will pronounce the same word (picture) in very ate phase between spoken and written forms of language. different ways, but will understand exactly what it means. They are just as effective as writing in transmitting To simplify, there are thousands of terms in different lan- information over long (geographical and chronological) guages for the word ―tree‖. However, anyone, from any distances with very little or no change in content. This is land or language family will immediately recognize the because poems and songs are memorized and recited with picture of a tree, and ―read‖ it as ―tree‖ in his/her lan- minimal change for generations. A very good example of guage. One major disadvantage of this (pictographic) this can be found in the Sunday mass as performed in the writing system, however, is that it is very cumbersome Eastern Churches. Assyrians who do not know the Classi- with hundreds or thousands of signs to memorize! cal language or may not even be able to read Assyrian can In Assyrian, the last time there was a common, standard usually recite the whole mass, including the various written form (or, the last time the written language was prayers and chants, from memory; sometimes without standardized), was when the New Testament was trans- fully understanding the content. lated into (Classical) Assyrian (―Syriac‖), in the early Written language has several advantages as well as dis- Christian era. That language served (and, among some, advantages. First, it is the most effective means of stor- still serves) as the common mode of (written) communica- ing/preserving information. For example, the cuneiform tion. Assyrians from every region and every religious de- tablets found throughout Mesopotamia dating as far back nomination, with very different local (spoken) dialects that as 3,500 B.C. In these tablets we find business transac- could not be understood by other Assyrians even in tions, legal contracts, religious/theological doctrines, dip- neighboring villages, could easily communicate using the lomatic and other official governmental documents, medi- standard written form. A striking example of this can still cal and other scientific texts, songs and poetry, literature be heard by attending mass in the Church of the East and like the precursor to the Biblical creation story and the the Orthodox Church. Those attending the Church of the Epic of Gilgamesh, and information on just about every East speak modern East Assyrian whereas members of the aspect of life in those days. Second, short of traveling or Orthodox Church speak modern West Assyrian. These sending a messenger to distant lands, written documents languages are so different that they are mutually unintelli- are the only way of communicating over long distances – gible. However, Classical Assyrian (―Syriac‖) is the litur- again, modern electronic audiovisual telecommunication gical language in both churches. The same prayers from has changed this somewhat. Third, and perhaps most im- the same books and in the same (Classical) language are portant function of written language, is due to its stability, read in both. However, they are pronounced so differently or stabilizing effect on language. That is, once a language has been standardized into a written form, people who (Continued on page 11) ܢܝܢܘܐ ، ܡܢܝܢܐ 72 ، ܕܘܒܩ ܐ 1܀Nineveh, Volume 27, Number 1&2 7 Letters From Our Readers studies and I’ll do my best for my family and my sponsors Our Youth – Our Future to be proud of me‖. Assyrian students in Georgia Lana Khoshabaeva, M.D., graduated this year from Tbi- By: Ilona Adamova, lisi State Medical University and has started to work at a private hospital. During three years, the scholarship pro- Tbilisi, Georgia gram from the Assyrian Foundation of America supported her study. ―I want to thank the people who enabled me to complete my education and become a medical doctor. It is Since 1998, with the support very important to have a good education nowadays and I’m of the Assyrian Foundation of very happy that I could get that chance. I hope to be useful America, Assyrian Interna- for my people in Georgia‖. tional Congress of Georgia has implemented a scholarship Marika Bitkash is 21 years old. She has been studying program for Assyrian students in Georgia. Every year psychology and sociology at Tbilisi State University where several students receive scholarships for the successful she is a forth year student. She is an excellent student and is continuation of their studies. The initiator of this project proud of being at the University. ―I’m very happy that I was Mr. Julius Shabbas, former Chief Editor of Nineveh have such a great possibility to do Magazine. Assyrians living in my study. I feel responsible to peo- Georgia hold education in high ple who support me and I hope to regard and students are greatly make them proud of me.‖ Marika’s valued. We have young people great desire is to be a psychothera- who study medicine, philology, pist after graduating. foreign languages, psychology, Assyrian International Congress of oriental studies, international rela- Georgia would like to express its tions, economy, law, etc.