Chapter I: Front Matter

The village lies in the valley between the two ridges.

_Frontispiece_ (_See p. 43._)]

THE
LAND OF THE HITTITES

AN ACCOUNT OF RECENT EXPLORATIONS AND
DISCOVERIES IN ASIA MINOR, WITH DESCRIPTIONS
OF THE HITTITE MONUMENTS

With Maps and Plans
Ninety-nine Photographs and a Bibliography

BY
JOHN GARSTANG D.SC. B.LITT. M.A.
RANKIN PROFESSOR OF THE METHODS AND PRACTICE OF
ARCHÆOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL; FELLOW
OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF LONDON
HON. MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF NORTHERN
ANTIQUARIES, COPENHAGEN

LONDON
CONSTABLE AND COMPANY, LTD.
10 ORANGE STREET, LEICESTER SQUARE, W.C.
1910

University of Liverpool

Institute of Archæology

TO MY WIFE

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

BY THE REV. PROFESSOR A. H. SAYCE, D.D., D.LITT., M.A.

The history of ancient Oriental civilisation is slowly revealing itself to the excavator and archæologist. Scientific excavations have been carried on in Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, and Palestine; it is now the turn of Asia Minor, both north and south of the Taurus; and there are indications that the revelation which Asia Minor and the neighbouring lands of Syria have in store for us will be even more startling than that which has come from Egypt and Babylonia. There we already knew that great empires and wide-reaching cultures had once flourished; the earlier history of Asia Minor, on the other hand, was a blank. But the blank is beginning to be filled up, and we are learning that there too an empire once existed, which contended on equal terms with those of the Nile and the Euphrates, and possessed a culture that formed a link between the east and the west. What I once called the forgotten empire of the Hittites is at last emerging into the light of day, and before long much that is still mysterious in the art and religion of Greece and Europe will be explained.

This much has already been ascertained by the excavations made by the German expedition under Professor Winckler at Boghaz-Keui, north of the Halys, the site of the Hittite capital. But there are many other sites in Asia Minor and northern Syria where Hittite culture once flourished, and where, therefore, discoveries similar to those which have startled the scientific world at Boghaz-Keui may be expected to be made. Some of these sites were examined by Professor Garstang in his preliminary journeys of exploration; at another he has begun the work of excavation and brought to light important remains of art and antiquity.

Sakje-Geuzi lies at a short distance from Sinjerli, where German excavators have discovered monuments which form the chief attraction of the Hittite section in the Museum of Berlin. The mound of Sakje-Geuzi represents a continuous history of unnumbered centuries. The earlier strata are the accumulation of a neolithic people; above them come the ruins of Hittite and Aramæan builders. The temple disinterred by Professor Garstang shows us what Hittite art was like in the Syria of the tenth and following centuries before our era, and enables us to guess at the character of the cult that was carried on in it.

In the following pages he has given an account of his work and the conclusions that may be drawn from it. This, however, occupies but a small portion of his book. Its main purpose is to review our present knowledge of Hittite history, art, and archæology; to describe the Hittite monuments now known to exist, and to trace the story of the Hittite empire as it has been revealed to us by recent discoveries.

Among the great political forces of the ancient Oriental world we now know that none exercised a more profound influence than the Hittites of Asia Minor. It was they who overthrew the Amorite dynasty of Babylonia to which the Amraphel of Genesis belonged; to them was due the fall of the Egyptian empire in Asia, and it was they who checked for centuries the desolating advance of the Assyrians. In Palestine their influence was supreme, and it is with good reason that in the tenth chapter of Genesis Heth is named second among the sons of Canaan. They were the founders of the Heraklid dynasty in Lydia, and Babylonian art as modified in Asia Minor was carried by them to the Greek seas. Greek religion and mythology owed much to them; even the Amazons of Greek legend prove to have been the warrior-priestesses of the great Hittite goddess. Above all, it was the Hittites who controlled the mines of Asia Minor which supplied the ancient world with silver, copper, lead, and perhaps also tin. Before the age of Abraham traders carried the bronze of Asia Minor to Assyria and Palestine, and thus transformed the whole culture of western Asia. The story of the forgotten people is a fascinating one, and the reader cannot do better than study it under the guidance of Professor Garstang, whose work will be the standard authority on the subject for a long while to come.

A. H. SAYCE.

NUBIA, _December 1, 1909_.

AUTHOR’S PREFACE

Since Professor Sayce and Dr. Wright first called attention, more than thirty years ago, to the forgotten empire and civilisation of the Hittites, no book has appeared to keep the English reader abreast of the further information which has since come to light upon that subject. In the meantime researches made by British and German explorers in northern Syria and Asia Minor, and the studies of numerous scholars who have applied themselves to this problem, have advanced the position so far that the Hittites are nebulous no longer, but stand revealed in the clear light of history, claiming the attention of all those interested in the story of the Bible Lands, of Asia Minor, and of early Greece. The position and character of Asia Minor lend a wide interest and charm to its past no less than its present.

The present volume aims at filling the gap which has already grown too wide. It starts _ab initio_ with a rapid survey of the Hittite lands, and an outline of their history. The Hittite monuments are then passed in review, each described separately and independently, in such a way as to be useful to any one visiting them _in situ_ or in the museums of Constantinople and Berlin, where there are departments devoted specially to this branch of archæology. The bibliography and numerous cross-references in the footnotes will, it is hoped, make the work handy to the archæologist as a book of reference. The author’s own theories are mostly confined to the last chapter, and an effort has been made to distinguish between facts proved or generally accepted and matters of personal opinion. The attempt to reconstruct the history of the fourteenth and thirteenth centuries B.C. from the archives recently discovered by Dr. Winckler at Boghaz-Keui is put forward tentatively, and would doubtless have been better done by a philologist. It has been found impossible to treat the subject of Hittite art and religious symbolism in general within the limited scope of this volume and its title.

Some other points are best noted at the outset. One aim of the book being to interest the English reader in a fascinating but neglected subject, the bibliographical references are given in English wherever translations of foreign authors are available. Unhappily some of the masterpieces of modern scholarship, like Meyer’s _Geschichte des Alterthums_, are not yet rendered into English. The geographical names employed, even at the risk of inconsistency, are those most familiar or in common use. Thus Hamath instead of Hama, Aleppo for Haleb, Carchemish for Jerablus, Tyana for Kilisse Hissar. In regard to the term ‘Hittite,’ also, the word is primarily used in reference to that class of monuments generally known as Hittite, and hence to the ancient people whose handiwork these were. The word Hatti is used in a more restricted sense, to imply the central and at one time dominant Hittite state or states whose seat and centre of organisation was at Boghaz-Keui. But it should not be forgotten that actually the words Hittite and Hatti are interchangeable.

There are many friends who have helped forward the completion of the work at various stages. Among them are the writer’s colleagues during two of his journeys of exploration in Asia Minor. The Rev. W. M. Linton Smith has corrected several chapters in proof, and has provided several photographs of the Phrygian monuments. Mr. Arthur Wilkin has kindly supplied the photographs of Ephesus, Sardis, and the goddess on Mount Sipylus. The bulk of the illustrations, however, are the handiwork of Mr. Horst Schliephack, and they speak for themselves. Any one who has attempted photography under the conditions of travel in Asia Minor will realise the skill with which these results have been obtained. In Constantinople our work has received the constant help of Sir Edwin Pears and Mr. G. H. Fitzmaurice; while H.E. the late Hamdi Bey greatly facilitated our expeditions by his good-will as Director of the Imperial Ottoman Museum. In this connection we cannot omit to mention those patrons of science whose generosity provided the means of carrying out these expeditions, namely, the Right Hon. Sir John T. Brunner, Bart., M.P., the late Dr. Ludwig Mond, Mr. Ralph Brocklebank, Mr. Martyn Kennard, and Mr. Robert Mond. These gentlemen have earned the gratitude of all those interested in the advance of knowledge; and the writer trusts sincerely that they will find within these pages something that will reward their interest in these undertakings. Mr. Hogarth and Dr. Messerschmidt are also to be thanked for the loan of several photographs, and for the facilities granted in the museums at Oxford and Berlin respectively under their control.

The brunt of the proof-reading has again been borne by the Rev. W. Macgregor, and Mrs. R. Gurney has also helped again in the revision of a considerable portion of the manuscript previous to printing; in this connection the help and kindly criticism of colleagues at Liverpool is not forgotten. Finally to Professor Sayce the writer’s warmest gratitude is due, both for his first lessons in Hittite lore, and for the constant stimulus of suggestion and correction given unstintingly from the funds of his knowledge. The pleasant labour of the best part of two years devoted to the preparation of this volume has been amply rewarded by many delightful days spent with him amid the Past in Oxford and Edinburgh and on the Nile.

J. G.

MEROË, _February 7, 1910_.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

INTRODUCTORY NOTE: By the Rev. Professor A. H. SAYCE, LL.D.,
D.D., D.Litt. vii

AUTHOR’S PREFACE, xi

I. A CHAPTER OF GEOGRAPHY, 1-50

Boundaries and physical features (pp. 2-4); eastern Taurus and
Anti-Taurus (p. 5); northernmost Syria: the plains, the valleys
of the Afrîn and Kara Su (pp. 6-13); Passes of the Amanus (pp.
14-15); Valley of the Orontes (p. 16).

Plateau of Asia Minor, boundaries and features (pp. 17-19);
five regions (pp. 20-21); position of Cæsarea, the roads (pp.
22-25); the Halys River (pp. 26-28), its basin (pp. 29-31);
position of Boghaz-Keui and Eyuk (pp. 32-33); northern roads
and rivers (pp. 34-35); western regions, Angora, Phrygia, Konia
(pp. 36-40); south-eastern region, Kara Dagh, Ivrîz, Tyana (pp.
41-42); Taurus: the Bulghar Dagh (pp. 43, 44), the Cilician
Gates (pp. 45-47); Cilicia (pp. 48-50).

II. SOME PAGES OF HISTORY, 51-73

Outline of Hittite period: the empire, revival and final
submergence (pp. 52-55); survival of customs (p. 56). The
Phrygians, in Assyrian and Greek history (pp. 57-58), their
civilisation and monuments (pp. 59-61); the Urartians and
Cimmerians (p. 62). Lydia (pp. 63-64); Greek colonies (pp. 65,
66). Persian rule (p. 67). Alexander and Hellenising influences
(pp. 67, 68). Roman period: Seleucids, kings of Pontus,
Cilicians; organisation (pp. 69-70); monuments (p. 71). The
Saracen (Arab) conquests (p. 72); the Seljûk Turks (p. 73).

III. MONUMENTS OF THE HITTITES, 74-195

Preliminary: method of study (pp. 74-76), chronology (pp.
77-79), classification (pp. 80-82), disposition (pp. 84-91).

SECTION A.—Monuments of the north of Syria: Hamath, Restan,
Aleppo (pp. 93-97); Kurts-oghlu, Sinjerli, Kara-burshlu,
Sakje-Geuzi (pp. 98-106); Aintab, Killiz, Marash (pp. 107-122);
Jerablus (Carchemish), Tell-Ahmar, Samsat, Rum-Kale (pp.
123-131).

SECTION B.—Monuments in the Taurus and Anti-Taurus: Malatia,
Derendeh, Palanga, Gurun (pp. 132-144); Arslan Tash, Albistan
(pp. 132-146); Kuru-Bel (p. 147); Ekrek, Tashji, Fraktin (pp.
148-151).

SECTION C.—Monuments of the Halys Basin: Asarjik, Suasa
(pp. 152, 153); Karaburna, Bogche, Yamoola (pp. 154-157);
Boghaz-Keui, Denek Maden (pp. 158-160).

SECTION D.—Monuments of the West: Angora, Giaour-Kalesi, Yarre
(Chesme Keupru), Doghanlu, Bey-Keui (pp. 161-167); Sipylus,
Kara-Bel (pp. 168-172); Kölit-oghlu, Eflatoun-Bunar, Fassiler
(pp. 173-176).

SECTION E.—Monuments of the South-East: Kara Dagh, Kizil Dagh
(pp. 177-182); Emir-Ghazi, Ardistama (pp. 183, 184); Tyana,
Bor, Nigdeh, Andaval (pp. 185-189); Bulghar-Madên (p. 190);
Ivrîz (pp. 191-195).

IV. THE NORTHERN CAPITAL: A DESCRIPTION OF THE ANCIENT CITY AT
BOGHAZ-KEUI AND THE SCULPTURES CALLED IASILY KAYA, 196-241

PART I.—Identity with Pteria (p. 197); history, economy, and
situation (pp. 198-200); the acropolis ramparts, gateways and
defences (pp. 201-205), Nishan Tash and other monuments (p.
206); the Lower Palace (pp. 207, 208); chronological evidences
(pp. 209-211).

PART II.—The Rock-sculptures called Iasily Kaya: Situation,
description of sanctuary and decorative scheme (pp. 211,
213); leading figures of gods (pp. 214-216); a priest-figure
(p. 217); procession of male figures (pp. 218-220); plan and
schedule (p. 221); the leading goddesses, etc. (pp. 222, 223),
procession of females (p. 224), the Priest-king (p. 225);
ceremonial feast and monsters (p. 226). The Inner Gallery: the
moving figures (p. 227); Dirk-deity (p. 228). General survey
(pp. 230-232); historical considerations (pp. 233-234); the
divine triad (pp. 235-241).

V. WALLED TOWNS AND PALACES, 242-314

PART I.—The Palace and Sculptures of Eyuk (pp. 242-269).
Researches (pp. 242, 243): the site (pp. 244-245); the
Sphinx-gate (pp. 246-248); buildings and masonry (pp. 249-252).
The Sculptures: sphinxes, bull-god, priest and priestess,
masons, musicians (pp. 253-262); the mother-goddess, lion
corner-stone, groups (pp. 263-266); oblation scene, double
eagle (pp. 267-270).