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2 clusters · 16 sources · 3 days · First seen 3 days ago · Last updated about 22 hours ago

Hittite cuneiform archive discovery in Turkey

Overview

Archaeologists excavating in Kayalıpınar, Sivas, have uncovered a significant cuneiform archive from the Hittite era. The discovery includes 131 new tablets and fragments, bringing the total number of artifacts found at the site to 184. These documents date back approximately 3,400 years to the reign of King Tudhaliya II.

Written in Hittite and Hurrian, the archive provides detailed information on ancient military correspondence, divination practices, and public health. Notably, the texts record a high-fever epidemic that spread between cities, specifically affecting infants and children. One account details the death and funeral rituals of a baby princess in the city of Ziulila. The findings suggest that the Hittite court monitored health outbreaks closely and utilized religious experts to interpret potential dangers.

Recent reports confirm that excavations in the ancient Hittite city of Šamuḫa have specifically yielded these 131 cuneiform tablets. These records document the fever epidemic and the subsequent royal medical monitoring and religious rituals employed to manage the crisis.

Entities

Hittite Empire · Kayalıpınar · Mehmet Nuri Ersoy · Sivas · University of Oslo

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Archaeologists discovered 131 cuneiform tablets and fragments in the ancient Hittite city of Šamuḫa. www.nrz.de · www.tlz.de · www.wp.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The total number of discovered cuneiform tablets and fragments has reached 184. www.nrz.de · www.tlz.de · www.wp.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The records date back approximately 3,400 years to the reign of Hittite King Tudhaliya II. www.nrz.de · www.tlz.de · www.wp.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The documents describe a fever epidemic that spread between cities and primarily affected infants and children. www.nrz.de · www.tlz.de · www.wp.de
[● 3 SOURCES] A young princess in the city of Ziulila died from the illness. www.nrz.de · www.tlz.de · www.wp.de
[● 3 SOURCES] Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy reported the discovery on X. www.nrz.de · www.tlz.de · www.wp.de

Timeline

about 22 hours ago

[CULTURE] 10 sources
Archaeological discoveries reveal ancient violence and rituals
Archaeological discoveries in Scandinavia, Egypt, and Turkey reveal evidence of ancient violence, ritual sacrifices, and historical epidemics through bone analysis and cuneiform tablets.
3 days ago

[CULTURE] 6 sources
Kayalıpınar excavations reveal extensive Hittite cuneiform archive
Archaeologists in Sivas, Turkey, have uncovered 131 cuneiform tablets in Kayalıpınar, creating a massive Hittite archive detailing ancient military, religious, and medical history.

Sources

abendblatt.de · aydinlik.com.tr · dunya.com · egemengazetesi.com · harzkurier.de · ikz-online.de · morgenpost.de · nrz.de · ortadogugazetesi.com · otz.de · sondakika.com · tlz.de · waz.de · wp.de · wr.de · yenisafak.com

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history