Summiting Mount Cudi
I also got myself captured by guerrilla fighters in the foothills and found a lost city. But we’ll save those stories for future posts. The summit and its ruins and artifacts are amazing enough on their own, and some of the photos here and in future blogs are the first ever taken of their respective ruins or artifacts.
This feature is at the summit of Mt. Cudi. It may be the remains of the Synagogue of Ezra, which stood atop the mountain through at least 1170 AD (when Benjamin of Tudela passed through), or of the church associated with the Cloister of the Ark, a monastery that was struck by lightning in 776 AD and burned down along with its unfortunate inhabitants. In antiquity, this mountain was the only place that people of all religions made peace and worshipped together, including Christians, Jews, Muslims (Sunni and Shia), Yezidis . . . , sort of the religious equivalent of the Olympics.
An intriguing hole in the ground near the summit:
Descending into the hole and finding a hidden, arched subterranean chamber:
Similar subterranean chambers having long ago collapsed?
Inscribed stones:
This is enough for now. The Noah’s Ark remains that made this mountain so famous and sacred for so many centuries deserve their own separate post.
October 11, 2013 @ 5:46 pm
Steven, I run out of adjectives to describe my interest in this. Your knowledge of history, your courage and commitment to explore, your willingness to share with those of us who are intrigued with your travels but, in my case, practically home-bound ….. thank you so much!!!!
May 13, 2014 @ 11:47 pm
Very, very interesting. Apparently, not very many people had the guts, faith, and brawn to take such a journey and adventure.
So, this is the site of the flood? You must tell everyone about your experience of being captured. While in captivity, what did you eat? Did you understand what the kidnappers were saying to you?
Were you terrified? Woo! I think I would have had a heart attack!
May 15, 2014 @ 8:41 pm
Fascinating… Thanks for sharing your trip pics.
May 15, 2014 @ 8:56 pm
Love it. I want to be you when i grow up…. I thinking seriously about anthropology/archeology.
May 15, 2014 @ 9:13 pm
Great job. Your posts would be a good starting point for anyone interested in uncovering places lost in time.)
June 4, 2014 @ 9:41 pm
You got caught? How did you get out of THAT?!
One thing I can definitely say and see is you had a once in a lifetime experience. That chamber has orbs flying around like crazy and with it’s turbulent past, that is not surprising.
I would love to know what the purpose for all these buildings were.
I am always happy to hear of places where all religions coexist in peace, even if they are far too sparse. We think we move forward as a civilization but sometimes I think we lose more than we learn as far as that subject goes.
Can’t wait to hear more, your story is not yet half way from being told and I for one want to hear it, please?
June 12, 2014 @ 10:12 pm
I got chills the moment I read about you being captured by those guerrilla fighters! Congratulations, Stephen, for having such an avid thirst for knowledge and for sharing your wonderful adventures with us. I do hope you find the time to update the blog more frequently and can’t wait to start reading your book.
November 10, 2014 @ 4:34 pm
First of all, you are braver than I to go down in the dark hole in the ground. I can only imagine the spiders, scorpions etc that hang out there. Kudos to you for being one of the first Americans to set foot in this place. Are there actual remains of Noah’s Ark, here or have people carried all that away by now? Also I’m looking for your post on being captured by guerrillas, but don’t see it yet(?) What an adventure.