Sayı 11- Ocak/Mart 2013 - Antalya Rehberler Odası

the Early Bronze Age, is calledCappadocian Painted Ware,and is also known as Alisar IIIdue to the place where it wasfirst found. This pottery culture,reflecting the advancedpainting style of IntermediateWare which is the nucleus ofthis tradition, also underscoresthe limit of Cappadocia duringthe Early Bronze Age.The two centers that representthe Early Bronze Age best inCappadocia, are AcemhoyukNorth of Aksaray and theKultepe mound to the northeastof Kayseri. They had relationshipswith many city-statesin and beyond Anatolia, a consequenceof their dominantpositions organizing politics,commerce and production inthe environmental cultural regionsof the IInd phase of theage. Of these in particular,Kultepe began, already in theEarly Bronze Age to create itsstrategic position that wouldbecome the capital of Anatoliain the Age of the AssyrianTrade Colonies. Unique worksof art and megaron style largebuildings, showing the presenceof a great dynasty, werefound in the layers belongingto the end of Early Bronze Age(13 th -11 th culture layers).While writing is not yet found inAnatolia during this period, veryimportant information concerningthe historical geography ofCentral Anatolia is obtainedfrom the cuneiform writtensources of Mesopotamia. Accordingto the written records,King Sargon of Akkad, Mesopotamiaorganized military expeditionsin order to possessthe wealth of the CappadocianRegion, ensure the safety ofhis own commercial caravans,and take over political authorityhere, during the last phase ofthe Early Bronze Age (EBA III).Sargon writes that he disposedof the coalition against him,in the written record; this textalso mentions the name of theoldest known king of Anatolia,namely Nurdaggal. Naram-Sin, the grandson of Sargon,gives the name of Pampa, theHittite king, who was anotherAnatolian king. Naram-Sin recordedthat he fought against17 kings of Anatolia, a coalitioncombined by Pampa againsthim, and that he had defeatedthem.Very important archaeologicalfinds relating to the Akkadianperiod were found in the settlementsof Kultepe to the northeastof Kayseri and at Acemhoyukto the northwest ofAksaray. The city state namedas Burushattum by the king ofAkkad is identified with Acemhoyukby many researchers.These city states in Anatoliawould protect their existenceand would be an importantactor driving the political andcommercial life of Asia Minorwith its more organized structurein the process of formationof new sovereignties duringand after the political turmoil inMesopotamia.