Dülük | |
---|---|
Village | |
Location in Turkey | |
Coordinates: 37°09′N 37°22′E / 37.150°N 37.367°ECoordinates: 37°09′N 37°22′E / 37.150°N 37.367°E | |
Country | Turkey |
Province | Gaziantep Province |
District | Şehitkamil |
Elevation | 950 m (3,115 ft) |
Population (2012) | |
• Total | 2,256 |
Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
• Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
Postal code | 27000 |
Area code(s) | 0342 |
Licence plate | 27 |
Dülük, ancient Doliche (Greek: Δολίχη) is a village in Şehitkamil district, a district of Greater Gaziantep, Turkey. At 37°09′N 37°22′E / 37.150°N 37.367°E, it is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Gaziantep city center. The population of Dülük was 2,256 as of 2012.
Finds in Tell Dülük include stone tools from 30-40 thousand years ago. These tools are from a Neolithic culture, unofficially dubbed the "Dulicien culture" by researchers.
During the Hittite period, it was a stop on the road connecting the Mediterranean to Mesopotamia. It was also a religious center. The sanctuary of the Hittite god Teshub was just to the north of the village.
In the literary sources, the existence of the hellenistic colony is not attested before the 2nd century BC. It is speculated that part of the original colonal population of Doliche came from the homonymous Thessalian city. The discovery of Rhodean amphorea handles suggest communications with the Aegean Sea during the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. The Seleucids adopted the worship of the local storm-god as Zeus Dolichenus, identified with Baal. At this time it was a small city on the road from Germanicia to Zeugma.
Doliche was at one time considered to belong to the ancient region of Cyrrhestica. It was ruled by the Kingdom of Commagene "for about 35 years"; after being governed by Antiochus Theos, it might have been incorporated into the Roman province of Syria as early as 31 BCE.