Photographer: Mustafa Bilge Satkin

Project title: Drowned History

Koctepe, four km. away from the main dam (body of the Ilısu dam), is the very first inundated village Remains of ceramics from the archaeological excavations indicate a history going back to 3000-2700 BC. It is located on the route from Upper Mesopotamia to Anatolia, along the Tigris River in Turkey. Here, aligned with the state’s water policies the Ilısu Dam was constructed despite the facts that, inevitably, historic and cultural heritage would be buried, its precious riverine habitat would be flooded, and people would be de-territorialized.