Ali Dede

General Information

Also Known As

Ali Dede shrine, Pîrozgeha 'Elî Dede, Elî Dede shrine, Ali Dede

Type

Ziyareta, Dede

Nahiya (Subdistrict)

Şiyê

Village or Nearby Villages

Anqelê

Religious Affiliation

Alevi

The Ali Dede shrine (Kurdish: Pîrozgeha 'Elî Dede or Ali Dede shrine) is an Alevi sacred place at Anqelê.1

Map and Location

Coordinates: 36.463642, 36.613183

Source: https://akmckeever.substack.com/

Physical & Landscape Features

The sanctuary stands east of Anqelê on a high spur overlooking the Circim valley (Geliyê Circim). The building appears to date from before Islam.2

Dedicated Figure & Historical Roots

Elî Dede at Anqelê belongs to a wider group of Dede- and Baba-named sacred places found across the district. These names belong to the Alevi sect, and their spread shows that Alevi followers were once present in much of the district in greater numbers than today.3

Ritual Practices & Beliefs

The shrine is revered by inhabitants of surrounding villages, including Anqelê, Senarê, and Hêkiçê.4

Current Status

The hilltop shrine and portions of the adjacent cemetery were leveled during the construction of a military position between February 26 and March 5, 2018, soon after the area was captured. Satellite imagery confirms that the southern half of the cemetery containing the shrine was destroyed between February 23 and April 24, 2018.5 In June 2018 residents of Senarê expressed concern for the shrine, and bulldozing at the cemetery began again on June 19 of that year.6

Bibliography

References

  1. Mihemed Ebdo Elî, Çiyayê Kurmênc (Efrîn): Dîrok, Civak, Belgekirin (Efrîn: Çapnivîsa Kurdî, 2007). Direct quote: "- Pîrozgeha 'Elî Dede: Li rojhilata Gu.Anqelê li ser pozê bilindiyekê ye, ku bi ser geliyê Circim de xûz dibe. Avahiya wê dest nîşan dike, ku ew ji serdemên berî Îslamê de ye. Ji navê wê jî tê zanîn, ku ew a bineola 'Elewî ye." English translation: "The shrine of 'Elî Dede: It is east of the village of Anqelê, on the spur of a height overlooking the Circim valley. Its building indicates that it is from the periods before Islam. From its name it is also known that it belongs to the Alevi sect." ↩

  2. Elî, Dîrok, Civak, Belgekirin. Direct quote: "Li rojhilata Gu.Anqelê li ser pozê bilindiyekê ye, ku bi ser geliyê Circim de xûz dibe. Avahiya wê dest nîşan dike, ku ew ji serdemên berî Îslamê de ye." English translation: "It is east of the village of Anqelê, on the spur of a height overlooking the Circim valley. Its building indicates that it is from the periods before Islam." ↩

  3. Elî, Dîrok, Civak, Belgekirin. Direct quote: "gava ku mera li navçê digere, mera pêrgî gelek cigehên pîroz tê, ku bi navên Dede yan Baba tên nasîn, ew navnîşan jî yên bineola 'Elewî ne. Ji wan cih û navan tê naskirin, ku şopedarên wê bineolê li piraniya deverên navçê hebûn û hejmara wan ji ya niha bêtir bû. Ew cihên pîroz ku me naskirin ev bûn: Yaĝmûr Dede - Gu.Bêkê, Eslan Dede - Berkaşê, Îbram Dede- Hopka, Yarim Dede - Be'dîna, Sitî Zêneb û Dewsa 'Elî- Zerka, Elî Dede - Anqelê, Bizilme Dede û Sari Baba û Xidir - Şiyê, Meryem Dede û Xelîl Dede - Gundî Xelîl, Sifrî Dede - Tirmûşa, Şêx Me'im, Şêx Hemo, Siltan Berbe'ûş." English translation: "When one goes around the district, one encounters many sacred places known by the names Dede or Baba; those designations belong to the Alevi sect. From those places and names it is known that followers of that sect were present in most parts of the district and that their number was greater than it is now. The sacred places we know are these: Yaĝmûr Dede at Bêkê, Eslan Dede at Berkaşê, Îbram Dede at Hopka, Yarim Dede at Be'dîna, Sitî Zêneb and Dewsa 'Elî at Zerka, Elî Dede at Anqelê, Bizilme Dede, Sari Baba, and Xidir at Şiyê, Meryem Dede and Xelîl Dede at Gundî Xelîl, Sifrî Dede at Tirmûşa, Şêx Me'im, Şêx Hemo, and Siltan Berbe'ûş." ↩

  4. Elî, Dîrok, Civak, Belgekirin. Direct quote: "Şêniyê gundên wan derdoran, wek gundên Anqelê, Senarê, Hêkiçê... wê pîroz dikin." English translation: "The inhabitants of the surrounding villages, such as Anqelê, Senarê, Hêkiçê, revere it." ↩

  5. Alexander McKeever, "Afrin: Incidents Of Desecration And Destruction Of Cultural Sites," Bellingcat, July 11, 2019, https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2019/07/11/afrin-incidents-of-desecration-and-destruction-of-cultural-sites/. Direct quote: "As previously detailed in this November 2018 Bellingcat report, the hilltop Ali Dada shrine and portions of the adjacent cemetery, located just east of the town of Anqele, were leveled during the construction of a military position. This destruction occurred at some point between February 26t and March 5 of 2018, soon after the town had been captured." Jamie O'Connell, "Incident Report Feature: Intentional Destruction of Religious Sites in Afrin," ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives, http://www.asor-syrianheritage.org/incident-report-feature-afrin-religious-sites/. Direct quote: "This report is confirmed by satellite imagery, which indicates that the destruction of the southern half of the cemetery containing the shrine occurred between February 23 and April 24, 2018." ↩

  6. Jamie O'Connell, "Incident Report Feature: Intentional Destruction of Religious Sites in Afrin," ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives, http://www.asor-syrianheritage.org/incident-report-feature-afrin-religious-sites/. Direct quote: "On June 20, 2018 Rok Online Newspaper reported that residents of the village of Sinara had expressed concern for the nearby Alawite Shrine of Ali Dada." Direct quote: "Bulldozing of the cemetery reportedly began again on June 19." ↩