hattusha. origins hattusha became the center of power for the hittites in the late bronze age, and...
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![Page 1: Hattusha. Origins Hattusha became the center of power for the Hittites in the late Bronze Age, and it reached its peak of power between 1600- 1200 BC](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649f445503460f94c64d47/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Hattusha
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Origins• Hattusha became
the center of power for the Hittites in the late Bronze Age, and it reached its peak of power between 1600-1200 BC.
• The city was the seat of the royal administration and it was the religious capital for the Hittites.
• It is situated on a mountain slope surrounded by deep gorges
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A Double City• The lower city consisted of the
Northwest third of Hattusha• Two of the most important
complexes here are the Great Temple and the Büyükkale
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A Double City• The lower city consisted of the
Northwest third of Hattusha• Two of the most important
complexes here are the Great Temple and the Büyükkale
![Page 5: Hattusha. Origins Hattusha became the center of power for the Hittites in the late Bronze Age, and it reached its peak of power between 1600- 1200 BC](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649f445503460f94c64d47/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
A Double City• The Upper City was carefully
planned under the reign of Greatking Tuthaliya IV (c.1235- 1216 B.C.) and his son Suppiluliuma II.
• This encompassed two thirds of the city and was almost entirely designated for religious purposes.
• Excavated largely by Peter Neve, the Upper City contains a central temple quarter, several sacred ponds and is surrounded by a double wall which is pierced by several gates used for cult practices.
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Temples to the Thousand Gods
• Thirty temples were found in the Upper City, though it can be assumed that more temples lie in this area.
• The size of the temples and the great number of rooms indicate that the temples also served economic purposes.
• The importance placed on religion by the kings of Hattusha is seen by this proliferation of temples.
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Temples to the Thousand Gods
• Temples 2, 3, and 5 are not only the largest, but the earliest of the temples.
• Temples 4, 6 and 26 appear to have walled-off precincts.
• Temple 31 was in the South Castle Precinct, a stronghold with large official buildings, and was probably associated with cult practices involved with the Eastern lakes and their chambers.
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Sacred Ponds• In two separate sections of
the Upper City, there have been found remnants of sacred man-made lakes.
• The Southern Ponds, found in one of the higher elevations of the city, were used as reservoirs and were where a number of libation vessels were found.
• The two Eastern Ponds were separated by a dam, and are associated with the nearby Chambers 1 and 2.
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Sacred Ponds• In two separate sections of
the Upper City, there have been found remnants of sacred man-made lakes.
• The Southern Ponds, found in one of the higher elevations of the city, were used as reservoirs and were where a number of libation vessels were found.
• The two Eastern Ponds were separated by a dam, and are associated with the nearby Chambers 1 and 2.
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Hieroglyphic Chambers• These chambers are
located at the Southern and Northern end of the dam.
• The better preserved of the two is the Northern chamber (2), where the walls of the chamber are decorated with numerous reliefs, including 6 lines of hieroglyphics.
• According to David Hawkins, the inscription deals with the divine stone path to the underground and may reference a nearby trench as an entrance to the underworld.
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Hieroglyphic Chambers• These chambers are
located at the Southern and Northern end of the dam.
• The better preserved of the two is the Northern chamber (2), where the walls of the chamber are decorated with numerous reliefs, including 6 lines of hieroglyphics.
• According to David Hawkins, the inscription deals with the divine stone path to the underground and may reference a nearby trench as an entrance to the underworld.
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Walls and Gates• The Walls surrounded the
entire city and was approximately 8 meters thick.
• Gates pierced the walls at intervals, most of which served cult purposes.
• The three monumental gateways were symmetrical around the Upper City, and processions started at Temple 5.
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King’s Gate• The King’s Gate consists
of two doorways in the form of parabolic arches and is flanked by two towers.
• Cultic processions began here and began their path around the city.
• Above the gate there is a sculpture in high relief of a warrior, who is believed to have been the god protector of the king.
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Sphinx Gate• The Sphinx Gate was the
most important, highest point on this cultic procession.
• This gate, unlike the other gates in this path, was not flanked by towers but passes directly through a tower.
• The entrance is flanked by four sphinxes, which were probably adapted from the Egyptians.
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Lion Gate• The Lion Gate was a
mirror image of the King’s Gate, the both of which were centered on the Sphinx Gate.
• The cultic procession would re-enter the city here.
• Lions were an important symbol of protection seen throughout Hattusha and the rest of the ancient Near East.
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Yazilikaya• Yazilikaya was a rock
sanctuary located outside of the city walls of Hattusha.
• The rooms of this sactuary were composed of natural rock faces, and were screened from the outside world by an architectural comples
• This was the site of a yearly gathering of the Hurrian gods, and where foreign dieties were incorporated into the religious life of the Hittite Empire.
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An Empire Falls• Perhaps a hidden motive
for Tudhalya’s massive building projects was to measure up to the Assyrian king Tukulti-Ninurta.
• Only a few decades (and one generation) later, the thousand-year-old city fell to a presently unknown enemy, and the thousand gods failed to come to it’s rescue.