Dayro d'Mor Barsawmo - Salah

Dayro d'Mor Barsawmo - Salah

The Monastery of Mor Barsaumo is an abandoned complex located near the village of Salah, in Turkey. Carved into the west side of a low hill, it overlooks both the village and the nearby Monastery of Mor Yaʿkoub, suggesting a close relationship between the two sites. The monastery's formal name, as inscribed on the church wall, is the House of the Mother of God, Meryem (Mary), and Mor Barsaumo.

The monastery's origins are unclear, but inscriptions discovered by Pognon provide a latest possible date of 1507/8, though it may have been founded much earlier as a simple rock-carved sacred space. An important historical aspect of the region is the schism within the patriarchy that began in 1364, when Bishop Sovo of Salah was excommunicated but then recognized as a patriarch by a local ruler. This schism created a period with two competing patriarchs in the region, which lasted until 1839. 

Due to its secluded and protected location, the Monastery of Mor Barsaumo likely served as a refuge during times of conflict and attack. The monastery may have been renovated and adorned with unique sculptures during the time of Tur 'Abdin Patriarch, Masʿud of Zaz (1492-1512), who was known for his building activities. Following the plundering and abandonment of the nearby Mor Yaʿkoub Monastery in 1493, the remote Mor Barsaumo site may have temporarily served as the patriarchal residence.

The area between the two monasteries is dotted with small caves featuring red-painted decorations similar to those inside the main church of Mor Yaʿqub. There are also man-made terraces and remnants of ancient roads. The presence of these shared features and the close proximity of the two monasteries suggest they were once part of a larger, interconnected monastic landscape. The Antonian Monk Stefanūs and his pupil Shabō are known to have resided at the monastery, and a monk named Barsaumo from Kafarzē was later ordained as a bishop.

Pognon recorded three inscriptions from the monastery, two of which are still partly preserved. The third, which he did not mention, is still present. These inscriptions, along with the unique sculpture and architectural features, are crucial for dating the site. Today, the monastery history is preserved in its rock-carved walls and the few surviving written records.

Status: Abandoned in ruins