Kifrki, Kurdistan
June 19, 2023
Undaunted by our traipse over what most would call dirt hills, Lynne was game for yet more spots off the tourist trail. I had read about the Halamata Cave, especially the Assyrian bas-relief carvings dating from Sennacherib, son of Sargon II that are still in place on the sheer face of a mountain. Despite the best efforts of ISIS to deface them they still exist, and we set off to see them.
The roads in Iraq are excellent and we made good time reaching Duhok and drove up the Shindokhan mountain and parked. Google maps showed the caves to be very close and we scrambled over the mountaintop covered in barbed weeds and burrs. The slope gentle at first, soon became sheer and despite the fact we were right on top of the carved face, we caught nary a glimpse. A google topographic map would have helped or perhaps not helped since short of rappelling, or rock climbing we could not have reached the face. Duhok lay spread out like a vast carpet at the bottom of the mountain – worth the effort if only for the view. Back up we went through the same nettle and thorn forest, poked, prodded and pierced. I was liberally covered with burrs and spines. We had seen a track from the top and I was sure we could catch a glimpse of the carvings from there.
Down in the small village of Kifrki, we asked and yes, they said, it is far from the track but you can see them. So down we went along the track, past a meandering stream. We looked up at various points but these seem to be well hidden.
The only company we had were the goats foraging on the slope. With daylight waning we left the wild goose chase and returned to the car. Maybe if I were to stay in Duhok I might have tried again. Lynne says she will and let me know.
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 