Yazidi sacred sites in Turkey are recorded through visual ethnography, satellite‑imagery analysis, and community interviews, while preservation relies on local initiatives, NGOs, and Turkish heritage authorities. The process balances scholarly documentation with the community’s own memory practices.
This article examines the visual symbols that define Yazidi sacred architecture and objects, from the mausoleums of saints to the peacock and serpent motifs that adorn temples. It explores how these icons convey theology, communal memory, and resilience amid persecution.
Yazidi sacred literature, once an exclusively oral tradition preserved by hereditary reciters, began to be committed to writing in the 1970s and has since undergone systematic canonisation and printing. This article traces the historical, linguistic, and scholarly dimensions of that transition.
Melek Tawûsî, the Peacock Angel, is the chief divine figure in Yazidism, leading the seven celestial beings that oversee the world. This article traces his mythic origins, theological role, and addresses widespread misconceptions that link him to Satanic worship.
Since the late 19th century Yazidis have lived in Georgia, and in recent decades formal interfaith dialogue with the Georgian Orthodox Church has produced joint projects such as the Tbilisi Yazidi temple, theological exchanges, and communal blessings. This article traces the historical roots, key initiatives, and measurable outcomes of this unique religious partnership.
The 72 fermans, divine emanations in Yazidi cosmology, continue to shape communal choices through ritual invocation, clerical counsel, and diaspora adaptations. Their influence is mediated by evolving religious authority, trauma‑driven reinterpretation, and the need for stability in exile.
Yazidi prayer manuscripts exist in three primary scripts—Latin, Arabic, and Cyrillic—each reflecting distinct historical, linguistic, and regional influences. This article compares their orthographic features, textual conventions, and the scholarly debates surrounding their use.
The Kitêba Cilwe, often translated as “the Book of Splendor,” is a central yet enigmatic text in Yazidi tradition. While its original Arabic manuscripts date to the late nineteenth century, the work underpins the content of liturgical hymns (qawls) and shapes contemporary ritual practice.
Sheikh ‘Edeb is the central religious authority credited with systematizing the Yazidi scriptural corpus. His work bridged oral tradition and written codification, shaping the canon that underpins contemporary Yazidi belief and practice.
Over the past hundred years the Yazidi community has endured repeated waves of violence that have dramatically altered mortality rates and shortened life expectancy. Scholarly surveys, especially the 2017 retrospective household study, reveal thousands of deaths and kidnappings during the 2014 ISIS onslaught, while earlier conflicts left deep demographic scars that continue to shape health outcomes today.