or DIARBEKR, an extensive province of Eastern Asiatic Turkey; comprehending, in its latest extent, Diarbekr, properly so called, Terak or Chaldea, and Gurdiplam, which were the ancient countries of Mefopotamia, Chaldea, and Assyria, with Byblos. It is called Diarbeck, Diarbecker, or Diarbeke, as signifying the "duke's country," from the word ἀβιαρ "a duke, and bekr "country." It extends along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates from north-west to south-east, that is, from Mount Taurus, which divides it from Turcomania on the north, to the inmost recess of the Persian gulph on the south, about 600 miles; and from east to west, that is, from Persia on the east to Syria and Arabia Deserta on the west, in some places 200, and in others about 300, miles, but but in the southern or lower parts not above 150. As extending also from the 30th to the 38th degree of latitude, it lies under part of the fifth and sixth climates whose longest day is about 14 hours and a half, and so in proportion, and consequently enjoys a good temperature of air, as well as, in the greater part of it, a rich and fertile soil. There are indeed, as in all hot countries, some large deserts in it, which produce no sustenance for men or cattle, nor have any inhabitants. Being a considerable frontier towards the kingdom of Persia, it is very well guarded and fortified; but as for those many cities once so renowned for their greatness and opulence, they are at present almost dwindled into heaps of ruins. Bagdad, Mosul, Carahmed, and a few more, indeed continue to be populous and wealthy; but the rest can scarcely be called by any other name than that of forlorn places. The rivers Euphrates and Tigris have almost their whole course through this country.

Diarbekir Proper is bounded on the north by Turcomania, on the west by Syria, on the south by part of Arabia Deserta and Yrack Proper, and on the east by Kurdistan. It was named by Moses Padan Aram; the latter being the general name of Syria; and the former signifying fruitful, a proper epithet for this country, which is really so to a very high degree, especially on the northern side, where it yields corn, wine, oil, fruits, and all necessaries of life in great abundance. Formerly it was the residence of many famed patriarchs, yet was overrun with the groveling idolatry, not only in the time of Abraham's coming out of it, and Jacob's sojournment in it, but likewise during the time it continued under the dominion of the Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, and Romans. It received indeed the light of the gospel soon after our Saviour's ascension, from St Thaddaeus, who is said to have been sent thither by St Thomas, at the request of Agbarus king of Edessa. This account, together with that monarch's letter to Jesus Christ, we have from Eusebius, who took it from the archives of that city; and the whole has passed current and uncontradicted for many ages, till our more enlightened moderns found reasons to condemn it; but whether right or wrong, it plainly appears that Christianity flourished here in a most eminent manner, till its purity was fulfilled about the beginning of the sixth century by the heresy of the Jacobites, whose patriarch still resides here, with jurisdiction over all that sect in the Turkish dominions.

Diarbekir Proper, is a beglerbegate, under which are reckoned twelve sanjacis; and the principal towns in it are, Diarbekir or Caramed, Rika, Moussul, Orfa or Edessa, Elbir, Niibis, Gezir Merdin, Zibin, Ur of the Chaldees, Amad, and Carafara; but all now of little note excepting Diarbekir and Moussul.