Balikh river
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| Origin | Karaca Dağ |
| Mouth | Fırat River |
| Basin countries | Turkey, Syria |
| Length | N/A |
| Source elevation | N/A |
| Mouth elevation | N/A |
| Avg. discharge | N/A |
| Basin area | N/A |
The Balikh River (kurd. Belih) originates in Turkey between the Euphrates and Karaca dağ (mountain), flows almost due south, and empties in Syria into the Fırat River. As a rule, the river does not run dry at any time of the year. The river is an important water source for the steppes of the Balikh Valley region. In antiquity, the area was densely populated.
The upper reaches of the Balikh are in the region where dense patches of wild wheat grow. Wheat was first domesticated close by in the region of Karaca dağ. One of the first towns was at tell Aswad, lower down the Balikh Valley, in modern Syria. At the lower levels, evidence of early wheat, chickpea and flax domestication was found. Upper levels of the tell show it was part of the Halaf cultural region.
Later in history, the towns of Şanlıurfa and Harran arose in the Balikh valley. Harran was traditionally thought to be where Abraham lived just before moving to Canaan. It is also thought to be where the wives of Isaac and Jacob were born. Şanlıurfa (glorius Urfa) is the birthplace of Abraham according to Muslim tradition.
The archaeologist Max Mallowan and his wife Agatha Christie conducted research in the area in the 1930s. Later on, in 1986 another archaeologist, Peter Akkerman began his excavations at Tell Sabi Abyad in the Balikh Valley.
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