Changes
| ref28 = {{lower|<ref>{{ }}</ref>}}
| languages = [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]]: [[Neo-Aramaic languages|Neo-Aramaic]]<br />{{smaller|(also [[Chaldean people#Language|various Neo-Aramaic dialects]])}}
| religions = '''†''' [[Syriac Chaldean Christianity]]
| related = [[Mhallami]], [[Maronites]]
}}
Today that ancient territory is part of several nations: the north of [[Iraq]], part of southeast [[Turkey]] and northeast [[Syria]]. They are indigenous to, and have traditionally lived all over what is now Iraq, northeast Syria, northwest [[Iran]], and southeastern Turkey.<ref name="MacDonald">*{{cite journal|author=MacDonald, Kevin |date=2004-07-29 |title=Socialization for Ingroup Identity in the United States |publisher=Paper presented at a symposium on socialization for ingroup identity at the meetings of the International Society for Human Ethology, [[Ghent, Belgium]]|url=http://evolution.anthro.univie.ac.at/ishe/conferences/past%20conferences/ghent.html |quote=Based on interviews with community informants, this paper explores socialization for ingroup identity and endogamy among Chaldeans in the United States. The Chaldeans descent from the population of ancient [[Mesopotamia]] (founded in the 24th century BC), and have lived as a [[linguistic]], political, religious, and [[ethnic minority]] in Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey since the fall of the [[Chaldean Empire]] in 645 BC. Practices that maintain ethnic and cultural continuity in the [[Near East]], the United States and elsewhere include language and residential patterns, ethnically based [[Christian]] [[local church|churches]] characterized by unique holidays and [[rite]]s, and culturally specific practices related to life-cycle events and [[food preparation]]. The interviews probe parental attitudes and practices related to ethnic [[Cultural identity|identity]] and encouragement of [[endogamy]]. Results are being analyzed. |authorlink=Kevin B. MacDonald}}</ref>{{Better source|reason=Kevin is a white supremacist, not an ethnologist, there must be more objective sources for this|date=January 2015}} Most Chaldeans speak an [[Aramaic language#Modern Eastern Aramaic|Eastern Aramaic language]] whose subdivisions include [[Chaldean Neo-Aramaic]], [[Chaldean Neo-Aramaic|Chaldean]] and [[Kaldya language|Kaldeya]].<ref>The British Survey, By British Society for International Understanding, 1968, page 3</ref>
The Chaldeans are a Christian people, most of them following various [[East Syrian Chaldean Catholic Rite|Eastern Rite]] Churches. Divisions exist between the speakers of [[Northeastern Neo-Aramaic]], who mostly belong to the [[Chaldean Church of the East]], [[Ancient Church of the East]] and [[Chaldean Catholic Church]] and have been historically concentrated in what is now northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, and southeastern Turkey, and speakers of [[Central Neo-Aramaic]], who traditionally belong to the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] and [[Syriac Catholic Church]] and are indigenous to what is now southern Turkey, northern Syria and northern Iraq.
Many have migrated to the [[Caucasus]], North America, Australia and Europe during the past century or so. [[Chaldean–Syriac diaspora|Diaspora]] and refugee communities are based in Europe (particularly Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, and France), North America, New Zealand, Lebanon, [[Armenia]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=10464&rog3=GG|title=Chaldean in Georgia|author=Joshua Project|publisher=|accessdate=18 February 2015}}</ref> southern Russia, Israel, [[Azerbaijan]] and [[Jordan]].
=== Arab conquest ===
The Chaldeans initially experienced some periods of religious and cultural freedom interspersed with periods of severe religious and ethnic persecution after Arab Islamic invasion and conquest of the 7th century AD. As heirs to ancient Mesopotamian civilisation, they also contributed hugely to the Arab Islamic Civilization during the [[Ummayad Caliphate|Umayyads]] and the [[Abbasids]] by translating works of [[Greek philosophers]] to Syriac Chaldean language and afterwards to [[Arabic language|Arabic]]. They also excelled in [[philosophy]], [[science]] and [[theology]] (such as [[Tatian]], [[Bar Daisan]], [[Babai the Great]], [[Nestorius]], [[Toma bar Yacoub]] etc.) and the personal [[physicians]] of the Abbasid Caliphs were often Chaldean [[Christians]] such as the long serving [[Bukhtishu]] dynasty.<ref>Rémi Brague, [https://web.archive.org/web/20130927015958/http://www.christiansofiraq.com Chaldean Contributions To The Islamic Civilization]. (Archived: 27 September 2013)</ref>
However, despite this, indigenous Chaldeans became second class citizens in a greater Arab Islamic state, and those who resisted Arabization and conversion to Islam were subject to severe religious, ethnic and cultural discrimination, and had certain restrictions imposed upon them.<ref>Clinton Bennett (2005). ''Muslims and Modernity: An Introduction to the Issues and Debates''. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 163. ISBN 0-8264-5481-X. Retrieved 2012-07-07</ref> Chaldeans were excluded from specific duties and occupations reserved for Muslims, they did not enjoy the same political rights as Muslims, their word was not equal to that of a Muslim in legal and civil matters, as Christians they were subject to payment of a special tax (jizyah), they were banned from spreading their religion further or building new churches in Muslim ruled lands, but were also expected to adhere to the same laws of property, contract and obligation as the Muslim Arabs.<ref>H. Patrick Glenn, ''Legal Traditions of the World''. Oxford University Press, 2007, p. 219.</ref>
Islamic resentment over the United States' occupation of Iraq, and incidents such as the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|''Jyllands-Posten'' Muhammad cartoons]] and the [[Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversy]], have resulted in Muslims attacking Chaldean Christian communities. Since the start of the Iraq war, at least 46 churches and monasteries have been bombed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kaldaya.net/2011/News/08/Aug24_E2_BombersTargetKirkuk.html |title=Church Bombings in Iraq Since 2004 |publisher=Kaldaya.net|accessdate=2008-11-16}}</ref>
The '''Syriac Military Council''' is an a Chaldean/Syriac military organisation in Syria. The establishment of the organisation was announced on 8 January 2013. According to the Syriac Military Council the goal of the organisation is to stand up for the national rights of Syriacs and to protect the Syriac people in Syria. It intends to work together with the other communities in Syria to change the current government of [[Bashar al-Assad]]. The organisation will fight mostly in the densely populated Syriac areas of the Governorates of [[Aleppo Governorate|Aleppo]], [[Damascus]], [[Al-Hasakah Governorate|Al-Hasakah]], [[Latakia Governorate|Latakia]] and [[Homs Governorate|Homs]].<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syriacs-establish-military-council-in-syria.aspx?pageID=238&nid=40329 Syriacs establish military council in Syria], ''[[Hürriyet Daily News]]'', 2 February 2013</ref>
== Demographics ==
