What is "hilvan"

Hilvan ( Karacurun, ) is a district of Şanlıurfa Province of Turkey, 55 km from the city of Şanlıurfa. It has an area of 1.278 km². And a population of (in the 2000 census) 38.411.

The early history of the area is unclear but it was settled in the early 19th century by a nomadic tribe and was known then as Karacurum (Karacurun), (after a black millstone found in the village), then later as Hoşin (Uluyazı). There are burial mounds in the surrounding countryside including thenearby village of Balki (once also called Hilvan) but these have not been researched.