A Hittite emblem, dating back 3,300 years and unearthed in Turkey, features the caution ‘whoever violates this shall face death’, seemingly designed to penalize those who disregarded the agreement tied to the relic. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Comments
Researchers in Turkey stumbled upon a bone-chilling revelation upon deciphering the inscription on an ancient artifact, which unveiled a menacing death threat to its possessor.
The 3,300-year-old tablet was located at the Büklükale remnants, situated near the Kizilirmak River, approximately 96 km from Ankara.
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According to Anatolian Archaeology, the age-old artifact forewarns of a devastating incursion upon the Hittite Empire, positioned around 100 km from Ankara, the Turkish capital.
The foreboding statement declares “whoever violates this shall face death.” This austere warning appears to represent a stern declaration from the Hittite Empire aimed at anyone who contravened the pact that likely accompanied the tablet as a present.
According to the Daily Star, judging by the categorization and arrangement of pottery remnants gathered during excavations throughout 2023, Büklükale is considered to be a single-phase habitation dating back to the Hittite Empire Period, spanning a diameter of 500 m.
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The emblem’s writing was crafted using an ancient Middle Eastern logosyllabic script. This menace corresponds with established knowledge of ancient Hittite laws that permitted physical punishment.
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Nevertheless, infringements of agreements typically led to monetary fines, rendering this tablet particularly peculiar.
Archaeologists, guided by Kimiyoshi Matsumura from the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology, were astonished by the wording. A fragmented terracotta emblem, etched with an unreadable inscription, was discovered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kimiyoshi Matsumura, a faculty member within the Archaeology Department at Kırşehir Ahi Evran University and Head of Excavation.
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Matsumura disclosed that this Royal emblem was unearthed during the previous year’s diggings. Detailing the emblem, Matsumura elucidated, “This emblem bears cuneiform writing. The emblem reads, ‘Whoever violates this shall face death,’ as inscribed by the Great King Tabarna (Sovereign King) or Tavananna (Sovereign Queen).”
“Typically, these emblems were employed to validate contracts, signifying that any contravention of the contract would incur punishment. The king and queen from Hattusa dispatched something to this location. This underscores the extensive relations this city maintained with Hattusa and the Royal lineage,” he further noted.
Apart from the emblem, Matsumura also unearthed a tablet bearing text pertaining to a civil conflict from the same epoch. The tablet’s language corresponded with that of the emblem.
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Matsumura stated: “Hurrian tablets have recently surfaced in Büklükale. The finding of Hurrian tablets suggests that religious rituals transpired here.
“These rituals are known to have been conducted by the Hittite Royal family, encompassing the king or queen. Consequently, it is also surmised that the Hittite king either visited or resided at this location.”
The accumulated evidence intimates that Büklükale might have functioned as a Royal dwelling during the Bronze Age empire. Matsumura concluded: “All these (discoveries) demonstrate that Büklükale stands as a significant city within the Hittite Empire.”