Near Gaziantep in southern Turkey is the Birecik reservoir along the River Euphrates. The waters covered the ancient town of Zeugma...

As we traveled in southern Turkey we stopped for a few minutes along the beautiful, tranquil River Euphrates. A Chinese tour group was stopping there at the same time as us. And a stray dog ran up to both of us looking for a handout...

How I loved this city, particularly Balikli Göl, the Pool of Abraham. History sits everywhere in town like dust in the air and on the streets. The buildings, the music, the sounds, the aromas, I felt like I had stepped into my childhood copy of One Thousand and One Nights...

The Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, Turkey, is full of mosaics and other artifacts moved from the ancient Roman town of Zeugma, which had been flooded by modern damming of the Euphrates... 

The tomb was built over two thousand years ago. Our guide said the site was chosen by King Antiochus so that his grave could be the first thing in the kingdom that caught the rays of sunlight in the morning, and the last thing to catch them at sunset...

The Bridge of Severus, or Cendere Köprüsü, was built by the Roman army nearly 20 centuries ago. The Tomb of the Black Bird, or Karakuş Tümülüsü, was built even earlier, by the Commagene rulers; yet its eponymous bird still rests atop one of the ancient columns...

Not far from the timeless glory of Mount Nemrut in southern Turkey is the modern city of Adıyaman. We got to wander for a few hours there through their markets and parks, including stumbling upon a card game. Then it was off to Nemrut....

In the heart of Adıyaman, Turkey, we came across a lovely old courtyard full of men playing cards. I don't know what they were all playing, but they were very serious about it... yet tolerated having their photos taken...

Near the city of Şanlıurfa, Turkey, is the fascinating ancient town of Harran. You cannot visit without being awed by the cone-shaped roofs made of mud. They have a wonderful beehive quality and, I'm told, no wood is involved...

Just a short drive outside of wondrous Mardin, Turkey, you can find the St. George Armenian Church. The original church was built around 450 CE, though it was rebuilt a number of times. 

At the northern edge of Turkish Mesopotamia sits the ancient hilltop trading town of Mardin. (In the valley below you can find the modern city.) Something about Mardin speaks to you; it was very hard to leave its beautiful twisting streets, its hardworking vendors, its serene views. I only spent a night there, but I would go back in a heartbeat...

The government of Turkey flew me there in April 2014 to take photographs and promote tourism as a part of their Come See Turkey program. Here are some of my favorite images from southern Turkey.