HATTUSAS (Bogazköy)
The city was founded on the site of an earlier settlement in about
1900 BC, soon gained importance owing to the presence of a karum (market)
or colony of Assyrian merchants. During this time,
the Hittites had preserved memories when their
kings
had ruled from a city called Kussara which has not been located.
Around 1800 BC, one of the early kings,
Anittas, began to extend his dominion by conquering first the city of Kanesh
(Kayseri), then Hattush. He seems to have transferred
his government to Kanesh. Hattush, on the other hand, was destroyed and
declared accursed. Between Anittas and the foundation of the Hittite
kingdom there is a gap of several generations. Then the policy of expansion
was continued by another king of Kussara,
Labarnas, whose son another Labarnas, decided to rebuild and occupy Hattush
- a natural stronghold domination the northern valleys. The city was there
after known as Hattusha or Hattusasanged his name to Hattusilis. This king
was the true founder of the Hittite kingdom. Hattusha
was the chief power and cultural force in West Asia from 1400 to 1200 B.C.
The city was sacked again in about 1400 BC by invaders from the north
and east. However, in the early 14th century BC, Hattusas was rebuilt and
enlarged by Suppiluliumas, the Great King of Hatti.
It remained as the capital for more that 200 years before falling due
to internal pressures and invasions from the outside. Only two parts of
the city were ever re-inhabited, Büyükkaya and the early citadel
rock of Büyükkale. They were re-inhabited by the
Phrygians.
The site of Hattusas/ Bogazköy is strategically placed in rocky
terrain at the head of a broad and fertile valley.
The older part of the city occupies a spur of the hills above the modern
village of Bogazköy towards the high citadel rock, Büyükkale
at its southeast end, to which ancient walls are connected. In the 14th
century BC because of the rising importance and size of the capital, the
fortifications were extended over the high ground to the south to include
a total area of over 300 acres. A century later, the hill called Büyükkaya
to the east was also enclosed and connected to the old city by a bridge.
The new walls to the south were of remarkable strength and sophisticated
design. On the foundations brought to a consistent level by stone-faced
ramparts with outer curtain walls and sally-ports. Tower- flanked gateways
with arches were ornamented with sculptures.
In the town, remains of five temples have been recognized. Temple I
is the most impressive and gives us an idea of the Hittite
religious life.
Although the Hittite Empire vanished thousands
of years ago, it has by no means been forgotten, and its capital Hattusha
has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Moreover, an enlarged copy of a cuneiform tablet found here hangs in the
United Nations building in New York. This tablet is a peace treaty concluded
between the Hittite king Hattusili III and
the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II about 3260 years ago, demonstrating to modern
statesmen that international
treaties are a tradition going back to the
earliest civilizations.
ALACAHÖYÜK
Alacahöyük, 36 kms from .Bogazkale, is an important
place of the Hittite era. Before the Hittites,
the Hattion -a Bronze Age culture- dominated in
this district and the finds of gold and bronze objects from this period
are sheltered now in the Museum of Anatolian
Civilizations in Ankara. The Hittite
gateway is the most fascinating part of the city which is flanked by two
sphinxes and furnished with Hittite bas relieves.
The museum in Alacahöyük houses the finds of the Hittite
period.
YAZILIKAYA
2 kms from .Bogazkale, is the ancient site of Yazilikaya,
the name of which means "Inscribed Rock", and it is a fascinating place
sure to be visited.
Being the most famous of the Hittite rock monuments,
Yazilikaya is made up of two galleries, in front of which lies an interesting
open-air pantheon. Fine relieves of Hittite gods
and goddesses adorn the walls, carved into the native rock, dating back
to the 13th century BC. The names of the gods are inscribed in hieroglyphics
over their heads, and a relief of a Hittite king,
dressed as a priest, is of particular interest among well-preserved ruins.