Altıntaş, Midyat

Altıntaş (Kurdish: Kevirzê, Keferzê;[2] Syriac: ܟܦܪܙܗ, romanized: Kfarze)[3][a] is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Midyat, Mardin Province in Turkey.

[12] Emperor Anastasius I Dicorus (r. 491–518) is credited with the construction of a church at Kfarze (today called Altıntaş), under the supervision of the craftsmen Theodosius and Theodorus, in a manuscript dated to 1592, however the historian Andrew Palmer argues this was fabricated to add historicity.

[18] The Kurdish rebels Yezdanşêr and Mas'ud Beg attacked Kfarze in 1855, severely damaging the church of Mor Azozoyel and killing many of the village's inhabitants, including four priests and monks.

[23] Amidst the Sayfo, the Assyrians at Kfarze held a council to decide on a course of action after receiving news of the outbreak of massacres and whilst some argued in favour of arming themselves, most trusted the Ottoman government's assurances of safety.

[23] However, Kurdish plans to massacre the Assyrians were leaked and after word had been sent to ‘Ayn-Wardo, armed men arrived and fought off the Kurds to allow the villagers to flee.

[6] A significant number of the village's Assyrian population emigrated abroad to Germany, Belgium, and France in the late 20th century.