Anatolian Civilizations and Historical Sites - TEDA

ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS:10x19 antik kentler 8/1/11 10:50 AM Sayfa
functions and architecture, this ruler commissioned new temples to be
built, and had the epitaphs in the state and temple archives copied.
Furthermore, the sheets including the laws were reproduced during
his period. A relief found of himself in Yaz›l›kaya Open Air Temple is
important in that it tells of the level attained by the Hittite plastic arts.
We see that during the reign of Arnuvanda III (1220-1200 BC)-the son
of Tuthalia IV-the general attitude in Anatolia was opposition to the
Hittite State. From some of the available tablets, it becomes clear that
the small kingdoms in Arzava and Western Anatolia rose in rebellion
against the Hittites and formed a coalition. We know from the
obtained documents that, since Arnuvanda did not have a child, his
brother Shuppiluliuma II sat on the throne between the years of 1200-
1190 BC. During the reign of this last Hittite king, a sea-borne threat
jeopardized the kingdom. The letter soliciting food assistance from
the king of a friendly country known as Ugarit, written during a
famine, indicates that the country entered a critical period. At the end
of this period, the Hittite State experienced a depression and was
forced to leave the stage of history after the Aegean migrations.
Hittite Art:
Around the beginning of 2000 BC, the Hittites-an Indo-European
tribe-came to Anatolia and mixed with the Hattians who were the
indigenous people. This harmonious blend of the two cultures
seemingly led to the development of the Hittite culture. Hence artistic
works created during the state of the Hittite Kingdom do not depart
from the tradition of Hatti culture-an indigenous Anatolian culture-but
almost seem as a continuation of it. The most advanced branch in
Hittite art is architecture. This type of architecture, which is used in
lower sections in Anatolia and which involves gigantic stones, continued
during the New Hittite Kingdom Period as well. Castles built of adobe
walls on stone foundations, surrounded by defense posts are typical
examples of military architecture. During the New Kingdom, the
double wall technique, monumental city gates, poterns, front courtyards
and internal walls created a harmonious defense system.
Parts of the king’s palace uncovered in Büyükkale are a fine example of
not only religious but also military architecture. Besides the
monumental palaces, houses are small models of the palaces. The
Hittites used stone, adobe and wood together in these structures.
Hittite embossments were used in architecture seemingly in a
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