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Exploring Türkiye

Mark Ziese

April 9, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

Manuel's Labor: A Triumph of Medieval Armenian Architecture

Mark Ziese

April 9, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

Explore the historic Church of the Holy Cross on Aghtamar Island. Discover its 10th-century medieval Armenian architecture and stunning biblical stone reliefs.

Mark Ziese

April 2, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

King Gagik’s Stronghold: The Lost Palace and Sunken Harbor of Aghtamar Island

Mark Ziese

April 2, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

Uncover the lost history of King Gagik’s medieval stronghold on Aghtamar Island. Explore what happened to Lake Van's sunken harbor and legendary palace.

Mark Ziese

March 26, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

West of Rhapsody, East of Tragedy: A Journey to Aghtamar Island

Mark Ziese

March 26, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

Discover the bittersweet history of Aghtamar Island on Lake Van, Turkey. Explore the 10th-century Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross and the tragic folktale behind its name.

Mark Ziese

February 19, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

The Babel of Van Kalesi: Unlocking the Ancient Urartian Language

Mark Ziese

February 19, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

Uncover the mystery of ancient cuneiform at the Citadel of Van. Dive into the fascinating history of Urartian wedge writing and how the code was cracked.

Mark Ziese

February 10, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

The Spy Who Wrote in Wedges: The Tragic Murder of Friedrich Schulz

Mark Ziese

February 10, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

A murdered explorer, a mysterious packet of notes, and the lost kings of Ararat. Uncover the thrilling history of decoding the "Vannic" cuneiform code.

Mark Ziese

February 2, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

The Vannic Bullets: Bullets, Blood, and the Ancient Walls of Van Kalesi

Mark Ziese

February 2, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

Discover the ancient secrets of Van Kalesi. Walk the ridge where Queen Shamiram carved cuneiform and Friedrich Schulz risked his life to copy the code.

Mark Ziese

January 21, 2013

Plants & Animals, Exploring Türkiye

Baking Soda and Brine: Inside Lake Van

Mark Ziese

January 21, 2013

Plants & Animals, Exploring Türkiye

Baking Soda and Brine: Inside Lake Van

Discover Lake Van, the world’s largest soda lake. From Pliny the Elder’s ancient notes to swimming in highly alkaline brine, explore this high-altitude sea.

Mark Ziese

January 16, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

The Only Fish in the Soda: Eating Turkey’s Endangered Pearl Mullet

Mark Ziese

January 16, 2013

Exploring Türkiye

From Pliny the Elder’s ancient errors to a hilarious, oily lunch by the Bendimahi River, explore the unique history and taste of Lake Van's Pearl Mullet.

Mark Ziese

January 13, 2013

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Lost Love, Lost Kingdom: The Ancient City of Queen Semiramis

Mark Ziese

January 13, 2013

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Follow the historical path through Eastern Turkey that inspired an Assyrian Queen to build a magnificent ancient city by Lake Van.

Mark Ziese

December 30, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

A Turkish Bath Experience: An Untold Story that Should Probably Remain Thataway

Mark Ziese

December 30, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

From camel-hair scrubs to bone-cracking massages, discover what really happens inside a traditional men's hamam on the Turkish-Iranian border.

Mark Ziese

December 25, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

A Leap of Faith on Mount Ararat: Beyond the Search for Noah's Ark

Mark Ziese

December 25, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Can faith survive without physical relics? Read a climber's raw, personal reflection on descending Ağrı Dağı and finding belief without seeing the Ark.

Mark Ziese

December 22, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Morton's Fork on Mount Ararat: A Climber's Dilemma

Mark Ziese

December 22, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Caught between a rock and a hard place on Ağrı Dağı. Explore the psychological toll of high-altitude mountaineering and the choices climbers must make.

Mark Ziese

December 22, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

The Agony of Defeat on Mount Ararat: A Story of Faith & Failure

Mark Ziese

December 22, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

What happens when an elite athlete fails to summit Ağrı Dağı? A moving, raw perspective on high-altitude climbing, brotherhood, and true priorities.

Mark Ziese

December 16, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Falling Down Mount Ararat: A Lesson in Crampons & Gravity

Mark Ziese

December 16, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Descending Ağrı Dağı (Mount Ararat) seems easy until a 360-degree turn goes wrong. A humorous, raw look at flying off the roof of Anatolia.

Mark Ziese

December 13, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Mount Ararat Summit: Standing Atop the Roof of Anatolia

Mark Ziese

December 13, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Capturing the savage beauty of the Mount Ararat summit. A firsthand account of looking down at Küçük Ağrı before the high-altitude weather turns.

Mark Ziese

December 11, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

The Pole at the Top: Reaching the Summit of Mount Ararat

Mark Ziese

December 11, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

At 16,854 feet on Ağrı Dağı, the world falls away. A vivid look at pushing through a throbbing headache and gale-force winds to reach the frozen peak.

Mark Ziese

December 8, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Conquering Mount Ağrı: The Final Push

Mark Ziese

December 8, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Experience the grueling final push to the frozen, flat summit of Ararat. A gripping tale of brutal winds, heavy gear, and teamwork on the highest peak in Türkiye.

Mark Ziese

December 4, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

The Painful Mountain: Climbing Ağrı Dağı in 1967 (Part 5)

Mark Ziese

December 4, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Fierce winds, frozen cameras, and a near-fatal wrong turn. Read Ward Patterson’s gripping first-hand account of conquering Ağrı Dağı in 1967.

Mark Ziese

December 2, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

The Living Ice of Mount Ağrı: Glaciers & Climate Change

Mark Ziese

December 2, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Explore the shrinking glaciers of Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı). A look at climate data, the mechanics of "living ice," and reflections on the Ark’s survival.

Mark Ziese

November 28, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Decision in the Dark of Ararat: The Brutal Reality of a Midnight Summit Push

Mark Ziese

November 28, 2012

Mt. Ararat, Exploring Türkiye

Traceless gravel, biting cold, and a grueling midnight ascent. Step into the boots of a mountaineer facing the ultimate test of endurance on Ağrı Dağı.