Spot Şahmeran: Things to do in Mardin

The legend of Şahmeran, a half-snake and half-woman creature, originated from Mesopotamia and has been retold for centuries in Mardin. Her portrait can be seen all around Mardin, which is believed to bring good fortune.

A young man named Tahmasp found her in a cave under Mardin and fell in love with her looks and incredible stories. After spending days with Şahmeran in the cave, the honeymoon phase wore off, and he returned home.

When the king became gravely ill, a rumour went around that the only cure was the flesh of Şahmeran.

Tahmasp was spotted in the hamam with snake scales on his body, and soldiers tortured him until he gave up Şahmeran’s hideout.

As Şahmeran was chopped up, she claimed that eating a piece of flesh from her tail would grant a person all the secrets of the world, but eating from her head would result in instant death. The king and his followers devoured the tail meat, while Tahmasp, grief-stricken, wished to end his life by eating from her head.

However, Şahmeran had planned ahead and deliberately given the wrong instructions to save her lover. Tahmasp survived and became a renowned doctor, while the king and his men perished instantly.