Sason

Sason is a town in the Batman Province of Turkey. It is the seat of the Sason District. Its population is 12,696 (2021). It was formerly known as Kabilcevz.

Toponymy
Sason derives from the name of the historical region Sasun. In the Armenian tradition, the name of Sasun (from earlier Sanasunk) is traditionally associated with Sanasar (i.e., biblical Sharezer), the son of the Assyrian king Sennacherib who fled to Armenia after murdering his father․ Sanasar is said to have settled in the area around Mount Sim, which was called Sanasunk (as if meaning "Sanasar's progeny") after him and his descendants that populated the region.

The former name of the settlement, Kabilcevz, comes from the Arabic word jawz 'walnut' (Turkish ceviz), in reference to the abundance of walnut trees in the area.

History
During the Ottoman period, Sason, then known as Kabilcevz, was located in the nahiye of Hazzo-Kabilcevz in the kaza (district) of Sasun within the Bitlis vilayet. Sometimes, it fell under the kaza of Kulp instead. As of 1914, it was a mixed Armenian-Kurdish village, reportedly with 105 Kurdish households and 45 Armenian households. Most of the village's Armenian population was deported and died during the Armenian genocide. The settlement became the center of the Sason District in 1925.

Demographics
As of 2021, the population of the town was 12,696 (2021).

Government
In the local elections of March 2019, Muzaffer Arslan was elected Mayor. He was replaced by Mehmet Şafi Yavuz in February 2021.

Culture
There are numerous ruins in the area, and also some historical water fountains, such as Sevek Çeşmesi, Nabuhan Çeşmesi, Hapyenk Çeşmesi, and Ağde Çeşmesi. There is also a türbe—a burial site of a holy man—called Şehan, which is the site of celebrations every July. The town had an Armenian church called Surp Stepanos.