The four rivers.

At Goreme the mindbogglingly beautiful rocky landscape was formed by tributary streams of the Kizilirmak River eroding and cutting into soft layers of volcanic ash.

The resulting landscape looks like paradise. The Kizilirmak River could be the biblical river Pishon; one of the four rivers mentioned in the book of Genesis that flow out from Eden. The others are the Euphrates, the Tigris and the Arax (Araks/Gihon).

Located in the middle of this region is Mount Arrarat where they say Noahs Arc landed.

The whole region in the headwaters of these four rivers is so astoundingly beautiful, fertile and sustaining with abundant water and warm sunshine. So much fruit grows here and there are so many wild animals and flowers it, is like paradise.



My map of this region, drained by the four rivers and surrounded by mountains: The Pontides, the Taurides, The Lesser Caucasus, Alborz and Zagros. The region is bordered by four seas: The Black Sea, The Caspian Sea, The Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf. The cruciform landmass stretches out from the centre toward the four cardinal points; North, South, East and West.

The region is the birthplace of the 'revealed monotheistic' religions; Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The people of Georgia consider themselves descendants of Noahs grandson. The first prophet of monotheistic religion, Zoroaster lived near the Arax River. While bathing in the river he had a vision of God: Ahura Mazda. Today we crossed the Arax river and I saw a mountain called Ahirmazdar: clearly a reference to the Zoroastrian deity Ahura Madzda. Abraham lived later at Harran in southern Turkey.


The River Arax in Turkey.


Ahumazd Mountain in Armenia.