Map by Luna Turk

Rakka, Syria

lturk28 — 2025-09-07 23:30:10 UTC

This image shows the ruins of Raqqa, once ISIS’s capital, chosen to represent both the group’s brutality and the city’s struggle to rebuild.

Tarsus, Mersin, Türkiye

lturk28 — 2025-09-07 23:34:00 UTC

This is the coast near Tarsus, Turkiye, an ancient city known as the birthplace of St. Paul and the meeting place of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. I chose it because Tarsus’s farmland and mountain pass made it valuable to great empires, showing how geography shaped its long history.

Fez, Morocco

lturk28 — 2025-09-07 23:36:26 UTC

Fez was once the country’s capital and still its cultural heart. I chose this picture because Fez’s medina, with its artisan workshops and souks, shows how the city has kept its traditions alive for centuries.

Qayrawan, Tunisia

lturk28 — 2025-09-08 00:27:09 UTC

This is the first Arab-Muslim base in North Africa. I chose it because Qayrawan became a major center of faith and learning under the Aghlabids, and it still symbolizes the city’s spiritual importance today.

Fustat, Kom Ghorab, Old Cairo, Egypt

lturk28 — 2025-09-08 00:31:27 UTC

This image shows Fustat, Egypt’s first Arab capital founded in 641. I chose it because it marks the origins of Islamic Cairo.

Tigris River, Iraq

lturk28 — 2025-09-08 00:39:41 UTC

This is the Tigris River in Iraq, one of the rivers that made Mesopotamia possible. I picked this picture because it shows the natural beauty and greenery surrounding the river.

Zagros Mountains, Iran

lturk28 — 2025-09-08 00:44:16 UTC

This is the Zagros Mountains in Iran, a range that shaped empires and sheltered many peoples. I chose this picture because it captures their rugged look that made them both a barrier and a homeland.

Shatt Al Arab, Iraq

lturk28 — 2025-09-08 00:49:02 UTC

This is the Shatt al-Arab in Iraq, where the Tigris and Euphrates join. I chose this picture because it shows a river that is very important for trade.

Palmyra, Syria

lturk28 — 2025-09-08 07:03:35 UTC

This is Palmyra in Syria. It is a desert trading hub that grew rich in ancient times. I chose this picture because its ruins still show the city’s past glory.

Taq Kasra, Al-Mada'in, Iraq

lturk28 — 2025-09-08 07:05:55 UTC

Taq Kasra was once the capital of the Parthian and Sasanian empires. I chose this picture because the massive ruin still shows the power and scale of Persia’s past. I also wanted to showcase the arch.