Lohan / Cevizli koy (village)

Lohan Cevizli village, 30 kilometers southwest of Turkey's 6th largest city, Gaziantep, is one of the largest and most developed villages in the south-east region of Turkey. It is also the oldest known continually inhabited village in the world with habitation stretching back to the stone age, over nine thousand years ago. Most of its residents are descendants of members of ancient Turkmen clans. Geographically, the village sits on the slope of a small hill, opposite a much larger hill with a spring water stream passing between the two hills. In times past the region was heavily wooded and green. Now, most of the greenery that survives, clings to the banks of the spring water stream running between the two hills. The province of Gaziantep, where Lohan Cevizli is located, is very near to the north west Syrian border. (Please find more information on the history of this region under Gaziantep).

The village has two names. "Lohan" - which is thought to be a derivative of a Turkish word, "Uluhan" which means "Large Caravansary”, and "Cevizli" - which is also a Turkish word meaning "has nuts", named after the village's walnut and pistachio trees.

The native fauna once included leopards, bears and tigers. All that remains are striped hyenas, spur-heeled tortoises, the occasional wolf, various species of skink lizards and chameleons, semi-domesticated dogs and cats, as well as geese and poultry. Along with farming animals such as sheep, goats, cattle, mules, donkeys and horses. Some other native species exist, although a new fauna census needs to be conducted in the region to determine what exactly remains.

Summers are dry and hot, swept by hot Saharan and Arabian desert winds. Snow falls in the winter for an average of 17 days during the coldest months. The weather is considered Mediterranean.

The village residents are 100% Sunni Muslim.