I grew up in a family that appreciated Mesopotamian culture, The Marshes, in particular, were my English father’s favourite wetland site. The Mesopotamian marshes, also called the Iraqi marshlands, are one of the most famous swamps in the world and one of the most beautiful places in Iraq. The way my father talked about them during my childhood excited and sparked my imagination and I was eager to learn about them and then in my later years I discovered his letters to his family during the First World War. This is how he described the marshes in one of his letters:
The region here is fascinating; it hasn’t been exploited by people and it is still covered with marshes. There are so many green fields and lakes that look like glittering mirrors. Despite the darkness of the night and the very long evenings I am fond of walking under the stars. Walking by the marshes fills me with pleasure, the stars sparkle proudly, their powerful rays make them so radiant, and at the same time you can see them dimming and then brightening and their reflections in the calm waters; it seems as if the stars are twinkling just for me. Watching these stars fills my soul with tranquillity, peace and serenity. It is equivalent to hours of yoga! The land stretches as far as the eye can see; no one seems to live here. I think the population of this land, from north to south, is no more than two million, that is my estimation and I say this with doubt as no one knows where the borders are. The only thing we do know is that the land stretches from the Tigris to the Euphrates. We know hardly anything about Mesopotamia. All our information is from the Bible.
As a young adult I started focusing on my future career and although I had many options, I chose Art, my favourite topic. Art in Iraq embraces archaeological methods, excavations and important finds from the different periods and cultures that flourished in Iraq such as Sumerian, Acadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Islamic etc are still the basis for Iraqi artistic vision and inspiration.
I was lucky to work for nearly 15 years at the Iraqi Museum in Baghdad, where I gained knowledge and experience and there is no doubt that the archaeological site of Ur, where writing was invented using the cuneiform method, was where history began and where the Sumerian King, Ur-nammu, set the first legislation in Law. The two most important sites in Ur are the marshes and the Ziggurat of Ur where the gods descend.
The marshes are also the area where the romantic love story between the goddess Ningal, The Great Lady, the daughter of the goddess Ninhursag and the god Enki took place. One evening, Ningal was looking at the sky from the magnificent surroundings where she lived on earth, while admiring its creation she saw the moon god Nanna, elevated high in the sky filling it with a bright shining light.
When she saw him soaring across the night sky, she made sure he saw her admiring him. He happily responded by inviting her to meet him, they both agreed to meet by the marshes. I am imagining they were in a mashhoof, the famous marsh boat, long and narrow, similar to the Italian Gondola with the same romantic feelings as couples now who take on trip in one. This meeting taking place in the marshes tells us how important this area was for the gods and goddesses in Sumerian literature, as they chose these marshes for this love encounter. In the literature, Gods and goddesses at that time they were still living on earth, for they had not yet withdrawn to heaven and they chose to live in the marshes, a wetland of plenty, rich in resources, where fish and birds abound.
A piece from a movie about Agatha Christie highlights what many feel about Iraq:
“Would you say Iraq is romantic?”
“Romantic?, my god it is the very essence of romance, think of Ur-Nammu and Enlil , think of Ennana and Domozi, think of the sparkling waters of the Tigris”
Even the Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, regarded as the earliest surviving notable literature, dating from 2100 BC mentions the Mesopotamian Marshes. This is how history glorifies the marshes.
In more recent times, during Saddam Hussein’s regime not only were the Iraqi people oppressed but the marshes also had their share of cruelty. They were drained and embankments built to stop the water flow and allow trucks and tanks to travel through them during Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). Draining the Marshes, is considered one of the most tragic human and environmental catastrophes of the 20th century. As a result of the draining, the size of the wetlands has been reduced to one-tenth of their original size. It is well known that the Marsh Arabs were moved to an unsuitable area during his regime. Then, following the fall of Saddam, together with local people and using only basic hand tools they managed to dismantle the embankments and the marshes began to refill. However, the marshes have not yet returned to their former glory and in recent years it has been drought which has limited the bloom as well as mismanagement and neglect which has also played a part.
During my visit to the Chibayish Marshes in 2017, I was stunned by the heavenly atmosphere, the green reeds, the gentle water current and the water buffalo chilling, waiting for breeding time. I met Jassim Al-Asadi and his right-hand man, Abo Haider, the great guide to the marshes, a Marsh Arab who has lived in the area his whole life. I was amazed how they both could recognise the water ways, name the channels and know all the people paddling the boats, the same way we name our city streets and roads. I was fascinated by the beauty and serenity of the Baghdad Lake and the communication between the Arab marsh dwellers while paddling their mashhoofs, chanting, singing, exchanging poems and conversations. The Marsh Arabs also built imposing reed houses. These houses consist of one large room serving as a living, guest and meeting room. Lots of mattresses, blankets and rugs, made from either fabric, wool or the reeds themselves. As well as the room being the place for meetings, serious decisions, wedding talks, reconciliation and celebrations, it is also where the family sleeps. There were very few chairs and seating areas in the houses as everyone sits on the floor, unless you have a guest who cannot sit on the floor, then they are given a chair, my chair was very comfortable! I was given grilled fish, caught in the local marshes and cooked in front of me and afterwards delicious dates from the nearby date palms that surround the marshes and give them their majestic view.
For now, the marshes are once again teeming with life yet are “threatened by low water level… and lack of care from the central government” which affects wild life as well according to Reuter’s report dated July, the 10th 2018.” Buffalo herders have returned home, as have the fishermen and the craftspeople who produce goods for sale from the reeds and date palm. There has also been an increase in people visiting the marshes and boat and restaurant operators are also doing well. In 2013 the Mesopotamian Marshes became Iraq’s first national park and is the traditionally recognised site of the Garden of Eden and in 2016 the marshes were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
These exquisite wetlands offer captivating landscapes, fascinating wildlife and a unique culture. The Marsh Arabs are the descendants of the most ancient civilisation, the Sumerians.
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