Archaeologists in Turkey have made a discovery that could significantly enhance understanding of the Hittite Empire and ancient Anatolian languages. Excavations at Hattusa, the ancient capital of the Hittite Empire, revealed thousands of inscribed clay tablets, including one particularly intriguing fragment. This fragment contains text written in a previously undocumented language, posing a challenge for researchers attempting to decipher this lost language.
Hattusa, located in modern-day Turkey, served as the capital of the Hittite Empire, which dominated much of Anatolia between 2000 and 1200 BCE. The newly found tablet was located alongside a ritual text written in Hittite, the language of the empire. Hittite is known from other discoveries and employs cuneiform script, a writing system widely used in the region during antiquity.
A surprising detail in this tablet is a phrase that translates to: 'From now on, read in the language of the land of Kalašma.' The rest of the text, written in an entirely unknown language, has yet to find a match in ancient Near Eastern languages.
This is not the first instance of such discoveries at Hattusa. The Hittite Empire, which sought diplomatic and commercial relations, showed keen interest in foreign languages. Daniel Schwemer, an archaeologist at the University of Würzburg, notes that they left behind records of rituals in multiple languages, reflecting their cultural openness.
The Hittites were not only warriors but also skilled diplomats capable of communicating with diverse peoples. This may explain the presence of the unprecedented text. The province of Kalašma, mentioned in the tablet, was located at the Hittite Empire's border, and relations between the two regions were crucial, especially during military conflicts.
The Hittites' interest in foreign languages was driven by strategic and diplomatic goals, as well as intellectual curiosity. By integrating and respecting local cultures, the Hittite Empire forged strong alliances, notably with neighboring peoples like those of Kalašma. This strategy contributed to political stability while expanding their territory, particularly during the Battle of Qadesh in 1274 BCE against Egypt.
Tülin Cengiz, a historian and expert on the Hittite Empire, emphasizes that this openness to other languages and beliefs fostered tolerance and alleviated religious tensions. In an era where empires were built not only on military strength but also on the ability to manage cultural and religious diversity, the Hittites seemingly capitalized on this strategy.
Adding to the intrigue, experts believe that the newly discovered language may belong to the Indo-European Anatolian language family, which includes dialects such as Hittite and Luwian. However, Luwian was relatively rare and not the dominant language in the region, suggesting that this unidentified language could play a pivotal role in future research on Anatolian languages.
While a complete translation of the text remains a challenge, researchers are optimistic. Similarities between this language and Luwian could provide a key to deciphering it. If archaeologists succeed in interpreting this language, it may lead to a deeper understanding of Anatolian peoples and the cultural complexities that shaped the region's history.
In a separate discovery, experts are examining a basalt stone tablet known as the Bashplemi inscription, found near Lake Bashplemi in Georgia. This artifact, excavated in 2021, features 60 etched symbols, 39 of which are distinct. Although some characters resemble those in other ancient scripts, the meaning of the inscription remains unclear.
The Bashplemi inscription consists of seven horizontal lines containing the 60 characters, some of which may be numbers or punctuation. The tablet's crafting sophistication is notable, as basalt is difficult to engrave. Researchers believe the scribe used a conic drill to outline each character before connecting them with a smooth tool.
So far, the inscription's language appears to share similarities with over 20 writing systems, but no direct cultural link has been established. Researchers noted potential overlaps with pre-Christian Georgian seals from the fourth millennium BCE, as well as early Caucasian, Phoenician, and Proto-Sinaitic languages.
The inscription's context may provide clues about its content. Researchers theorize that the text may relate to military spoils, an important construction project, or an offering to a deity, given the material's difficulty and the frequency of certain symbols.