Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY GOVERNORSHIP OF GAZİANTEP GAZİANTEP PROVINCIAL DIRECTORATE OF CULTURE AND TOURISM

Carchemish

Dr. Burhan BALCIOĞLU Archaeologist Nurten AYDEMİR

ISBN: 978-975-9011-42-0

Erdal ATA Gaziantep Governor

PREFACE

Due to its strategic position, Carchemish was always a city of impor- tance to the Hittites and Assyrians.

The ancient city of Carchemish was forgotten for many years. Af- ter English archaeologists located the site in the year 1911, excavations were started. During the excavations in the years between 1911 and 1914 and in the 1920s, many of the artefacts were taken out of the country. A portion of the excavated artefacts are on display in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the Archaeological Museum of Gaziantep.

Because the ancient city of Carchemish straddles the border between Turkey and Syria, the city remained closed for research and visitors from the 1920s until 2011. A Turkish-Italian group resumed the excavation in 2011, after the site was closed for almost a century with its hidden secrets. Today’s excavations are shedding new light on Carchemish, which will be opened to visitors in 2014 upon completion of the ArkeoPark project being prepared for the site.

As no introductory popular publications about Carchemish existed to date, it could not be adequately promoted.

I would like to thank Hittitologist Dr. Burhan Balcıoğlu, who prepared this brochure with much dedication and effort, archaeologist Nurten Aydemir and the personnel of the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, excavation director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nicolò Mar- chetti and the excavation deputy director Asst. Prof. Dr. Hasan Peker for their contributions, and wish them continued success.

5 | Carchemish

Ergün ÖZUSLU Gaziantep Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism

INTRODUCTION

Gaziantep was home to many civilizations; hence it bears traces of many of them.

The tourism potential of Gaziantep is increasing day-by-day, and our province has become the region’s most important city in the field of culture and tourism.

After remaining an enigma in the border area for a long period, Carchemish is being added to the list of touristic ruined sites like Zeug- ma, Rumkale, Yesemek and Dülük. The former excavations were carried out in the years 1911-1914 and 1920, and in 2011 the excavations were resumed, with the site planned to be opened to visitors in the year 2014.

The book prepared by the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of Cul- ture and Tourism in order to promote Carchemish will be beneficial for tourists as well as for those who are interested in this topic. I congratu- late all the writers who took pains with this book and hope all readers find it useful.

7 | Carchemish A view of Carchemish South Gate

The inner town and the citadel lie mond, drew the plan of the city. At on the borderline of today’s province the end of the 19th century George of Gaziantep and district of Karkamış Smith and Consul W. H. Skene were with Syria. The town is situated on the researching that area for the British west bank of the Euphrates, at one of Museum and said for the first time the important crossings on the river, that the ruins could be those of the and at the north end of the wide river town of Carchemish. In 1911, David plain. H. Hogarth started scientific excavations on behalf of the British Muse- The most important settlement in um and the excavations continued Near East archaeology – the ancient under the leadership of Leonard city of Carchemish within Karkamış Woolley and T. E. Lawrence (1912- District on the west banks of the Eu- 1914). After World War I, Carchemish phrates along the border between was only excavated for one more Turkey and Syria, was located at a season (1920). very important junction of routes from Anatolia to Egypt and Mesopotamia in On the mound on which the cita- the 2nd millennium B. C. E. del is situated, in addition to prehis- toric remains, two main settlements Its ruins were first noted in 1699 by of the Early and Late Hittite Periods Henry Maundrell, the agent in Aleppo were found. Carchemish was rough- of a British company trading with the ly rectangular and had three parts, east. the outer town, the inner town and the citadel. The core of the town In the 18th century the British consists of buildings with adminis- Consul in Aleppo, Alexander Drum- trative and religious functions.

8 | Carchemish The buildings are ornamented ters in May 2011. Since the first season in Late Hittite style, faced with black from the end of September through basalt and white limestone orthostats October 2011, the work was led by carved in relief. The majority of the re- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nicolò Marchetti from liefs have been dated to the Late Hit- Bologna University, with Ass. Prof. Dr. tite Period. These relief images shed Hasan Peker from Istanbul University light on the life style, clothing and as deputy director an Prof. Dr. Refik culture of the 1st millennium B.C.E. Duru, the late Prof. Dr. Ali Dinçol, Prof. through the depiction of the goddess Dr. Belkıs Dinçol and Assoc. Prof. Tur- Kubaba and the soldiers in the cere- gut Zeyrek as scientific consultants. monial procession made in her name, The dean of Gaziantep University the priests, persons carrying vari- Architecture Faculty Prof. Dr. Mustafa ous animals, the princes armed with Özakça joined in 2012. swords, war chariots, hybrid creatures and guard animals. Today, the majority As Karkamış had become a mil- of these orthostat reliefs are exhibited itary guard post in 1920, no further in the Museum of Anatolian Civiliza- research or visits were possible, so tions in Ankara. The ruins in the mili- this was an opportunity long-await- tary zone on the Syrian border have ed- almost a century- by the archae- been cleared of mines in 2010. ological community and other interested parties. The joint project brings A new project to be carried out by with it an integral approach to the Bologna University (archaeology), Ga- research, protection and presenta- ziantep University (architecture) and tion. The new Turkish-Italian project is Istanbul University (philology) in addi- researching the town architecture of tion to many other contributors was the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the approved by the T.C. Council of Minis- Roman Period, and as attention is paid British Excavatiors in 1913 British Excavatiors

9 | Carchemish HASANOĞLU ANIT MEZARI HİSAR ANIT MEZARI

ELİF ANIT MEZARI

SAVAŞAN KÖYÜ

SAKÇAGÖZÜ

SOF DAĞI YAYLASI

HIZIR YAYLASI

HIZIR

CARCHEMISH ANCIENT CITY

ceived annual rain- fall of 300 mm and had broad plains suitable for dry farm- ing. With the precious stone trading among distant regions in the middle to touris- of the 3rd millennium B.C.E, and in- tic development, clusion in the trade network of Cyprus the ruins’ protection is provided and the Aegean world at the begin- for. ning of the 2nd millennium B.C.E., Syr- ia became the centre of trade in the The founder of the Hittite State region. The mountains ranging par- Hattushili I (1650-1620 B.C.E.) followed allel to the coastline make crossings a foreign policy of expansion towards difficult, and the coast could only be Syria. The Hittite kings soon realized reached from two points of the hin- that the greatest wealth lay to the terlands. The first was in the south, east and south – sources of gold, sil- the Homs Pass near the Akkar Plains. ver, precious stones and processed The other was the route crossing the goods. Northern Syria was part of Lower Asi River (Orontes) and leading the “fertile crescent”, a half-moon to the town Ugarit in the north. The shaped swathe of land bordered by Homs crossing was used more for the Zagros Mountains. The area re- reaching the hinterland of Syria from

10 | Carchemish the Mediterranean coast. As to Ugarit, the Euphrates at an important cross- it was much more important to the Hit- ing, at the edge of a broad river plain. tites. In order to keep this town under Today, the ruins of the inner town and control, a base nearby was necessary. the citadel are within the borders of Carchemish was situated at such a Turkey, in Gaziantep, within the district strategic point, on the west bank of of Karkamış; while the outer town is Plan of Ancient Carchemish

in the village of Cerablus/ Cerabis in tamia but this had not so far been the Syria. case in Anatolia. The Hittites, master architects, knew that a straight wall Through the investigations men- would be weak for defence. They tioned above, Carchemish’s multi-sec- knew that for defence purposes it was tion (7 layers) town fortifications have better break up the outline of the wall been identified. The ramparts appear not in places. They therefore chose to set- to have been built according to a plan. tle in uneven territory in order to use the natural rises as part of their de- During the Assyrian Period, walls fence system. In the cities mentioned were built in a rectangle in Mesopo- above, citadels and often the inner

11 | Carchemish Relief of Composite Creatures Relief

cities’ surface remains have been re- A BRIEF HISTORY OF covered, i.e. the main data is from the CARCHEMISH CITY AND sculpted architectural elements. KINGDOM

ARTEFACTS Carchemish came onto the stage OF CARCHEMISH of civilization in about 3000 B.C.E. Ar- chaeology has proved that the acrop- Numerous archaeological arte- olis was settled from at least 5000 facts came to light during excavations, B.C.E. Although these are important many of them on the surface. The ma- facts, it seems that the ancient city of jority of these findings belong to the Carchemish was not of special impor- Late Hittite Period. (1000 B.C.E. and tance for settlement until around 2300 later). They are the Carchemish kings’ B.C.E. when its name appears in the and and rulers’ obelisks inscribed with cuneiform scripts of the Ebla Archives hieroglyphs, and the cut stone blocks in the north of Syria. It is thought that called orthostats which ornamented the name Carchemish had the mean- walls of various buildings and were ing “Kemosh’s haven”, Kemosh being carved with religious scenes using a popular god at the time in northern bas-relief technique. Syria. The town only became a leading settlement in about 2000 B.C.E. Remains relating to the defence with the Bronze Age. The expansion system and the gates were also dis- of the lower town and the massive covered. The discoveries of the first earth ramparts and walls, which be- excavation seasons at Carchemish came a typical feature of the city’s ap- are now on display in the Museum of pearance date from this period. Anatolian Civilizations.

12 | Carchemish After George Smith identified Cer- pressive walls; and some houses in ablus as ancient Carchemish in 1876, the outer city. When the French oc- the British Consul in Aleppo P. Hen- cupying forces had to withdraw with derson made some soundings in the the arrival of the Turkish units in the area between 1878 and 1881 and sent summer of 1920, the amazing palace a set of sculptures to the British Mu- on the acropolis was left mostly un- seum in London. This same museum excavated as a result of the sudden organized large-scale excavations interruption of the project. in the area during 1911 and 1914 and again in 1920 with the Archaeologists The border was defined along the D.G. Hogarth, T.E. Lawrence, R. Camp- railway, dividing the archaeological bell-Thompson, P.L.O. Guy and C.L. site: the major part of the ancient city Woolley (director). The remains of the (55 hectares) is in Turkey, while a por- excavation house are still apparent in tion of the outer city (35 hectares) is the inner town. Before the World War I today in Syria. broke out and Lawrence started work- ing as military agent, he took respon- HISTORICAL OF CARCHEMISH sibility for the photography of the excavations and many photos document The city of Carchemish is first men- their daily life. These campaigns shed tioned in the Ebla Palace Archives light on the characteristics of the city (about 24th century B.C.E) as part of of the Iron Age: the well-known reliefs the Ebla Kingdom. Carchemish start- of the big ceremony area (“Lower Pal- ed issuing its own written documents ace”) found at the foot of the acropolis only in the first half of the 2nd millen- exhibited in the Museum of Anatolian nium. During that period – the Middle Civilizations; the city gates and its im- Bronze Age – Carchemish was the Orthostat reliefs uncovered during excavation

13 | Carchemish capital of independent and semi-independent kingdoms. These small kingdoms trying to remain independent from the bigger kingdoms preserved their wealth by means of trading along

the Euphrates. God Storm

Two cities on the Euphrates had a strong commercial relationship: Carchemish supplied Mari with wine, honey, olive oil, grain, copper, horses and slaves. The letters and administrative documents found in Mari give information about three kings of Carchemish. These kings who reigned during the period of the famous lawmaker, Hammurabi, the King of Babylon (18th century B.C.) are Aplahanda, Yatarami and Yahdunlim.

Carchemish was tied to the huge strongest citadels in the region in the kingdom founded by the Amorite 2nd millennium B.C.E, and only came (Western Semitic) Shamsi-Adad I in under permanent rule by the Hittite northern Mesopotamia, and also to State in the second half of the 14th the Yamhad Kingdom based in Alep- century B.CE., when it was captured po. In the second half of the 17th by Suppiluliuma I. Suppiluliuma set century B.C.E., the city was under one of his sons – Piyasili (Šarri-Kušuh) the influence of the Hittites, who had on the throne, laying the foundations conquered Aleppo and a large part of for a kingdom in the Hittite tradition Syria. that would remain on the stage of history for the next 600 years. CARCHEMISH DURING THE HITTITE PERIOD Perhaps the most important step in the expansion policy of the Hittites Hattushili I was the founder of the was the conquest of Carchemish. Af- Hittite State, and the main aim of his ter it was conquered by the Hittites, expansion policy was towards north- Carchemish was ruled by Suppiluli- ern Syria. To this aim, Hattushili I and uma’s I (1380-1345) son Piyasili (Šar- his successors launched expeditions ri-Kušuh) and his successors for about to the south of the Taurus Mountains, 150 years. In this way, the Carchemish and made effective use of power and kings, descendants of the “Great King diplomacy. Carchemish was one of the of Hatti” ruled the southeast of Ana-

14 | Carchemish tolia, the north of Syria and the north Empire in the north of Syria for five of the east Mediterranean in the name generations. Since the middle of the of the “Great King”. Building outposts 13th century B.C.E. the Hittite Empire in the southeast of Anatolia and north- was governed as three big units with ern Syria, and forging direct relation- the Carchemish Kingdom being one ships with other powers of the period, base in the north of Syria (the others the Carchemish kingdom always took were in the centre Hattusa and Tar- the pressure off the Hittite central ad- huntassa in the south), thus ensuring a ministration. Suppiluliuma I not only long-lasting Hittite Empire. With the fall helped the Hittite State become an of the central administration in the 12th empire by annexing northern Syria, century, Kuzi Tesup, known as the last but also by founding the Kingdom of King of Carchemish in the Late Bronze Carchemish he paved the way for the Age appears with his title of “Great political and cultural legacy of the Hit- King”. With this unbroken line of de- tites to live on into the next millennium scent, we see Suppiluliuma’s I great- following the destruction of the em- great-grandchild (Kuzi Tesup’s son) as pire in about 1200 B.C.E. a ruler in Malatya in the 12th century.

Despite the Hattusa dynasty’s The privileged vassal kings of break-up, the Carchemish dynas- Carchemish forged relationships with ty continued to represent the Hittite other Hittite vassals in the area in the The Royal Buttress The Royal

15 | Carchemish Chariot Relief

name of the Great Hittite King, played century B.C.E, Carchemish became a major role in turning the Mitanni the centre of one of the many newly State into an unimportant power, sub- founded Neo-Hittite Kingdoms. It was dued the intermittent Assyrian threats now ruled by descendants of the big and the expansive intentions of Egypt Hittite kings and dependent kings that toward the north in the second half of controlled the Empire’s territories in the 14th century B.C.E., altogether af- Syria. fording the Hattusa centre to have an easier internal and foreign policy. THE END OF THE HITTITE EMPIRE After the Hittite Empire was de- stroyed around the start of the 12th During the rule of Hattusili III (1267-

16 | Carchemish 1237), the land of the Hittites was Cultural elements of the Hittites and split into three big geographical and Hurrians started to mix with this ethnic administrative regions: in the centre group. Within a couple of centuries, within the Kızılırmak (Red River) arc, the Urartu State in East Anatolia and the capital Hattusa and environs; in the Phrygian State in the west was the southwest Tarhuntassa; and in the founded. In the southeast of Anatolia southeast Carchemish. After the de- and part of northern Syria, principali- struction of the Hittite Empire we see ties now called Neo-Hittite Kingdoms two “Great Kings”, one in Tarhuntassa, (Syro-Hittite States) were founded. the Great King Mursili III (1272-1267)’s Carchemish was among these. The son, the Great King Hartapu, who was written documents of the kingdoms deposed by his uncle Hattusili III, and are not sufficient to understand that the other in Carchemish, the Great period’s history. In the north of Syria King Kuzi Tesup, descendent of the on the east banks of the Euphrates Great King Suppiluliuma I. Probably, there was a powerful Assyrian state, these two kings fought at the same but Assyrian sources give little infor- time as representative of the Hittite mation too, only mentioning the expe- King’s line during political disintegra- dition undertaken to that region and tion of Anatolia and Syria. After the listing the tributes taken. So for this first wave of devastation by the sea period, by putting the written docu- tribes, Carchemish recovered and ments in chronological order we are probably extended its borders until able to build a picture of the history Malatya. Kuzi Tesup is recorded in the of Carchemish. Carchemish neigh- inscriptions of the Ispekçür stele as boured Kummuh in the north, Bit-Agu- “ku-zi TONITRUS” (the title meaning si/Arpad in the west and probably “hero”), the grandfather of the Melid Sam’al or Gurgum in the northwest. King Arnuwanti. The distribution of the Anatolian hieroglyph inscriptions draw the borders Probably, Kuzİ Tesup and his descendents ruled Malatya and Carchemish for about a century. It is unknown what happened to the dynasty later.

CARCHEMISH IN THE NEO-HITTITE PERIOD

At the beginning of the 1st millennium, the political structure in Anato- lia was the same as before the Hittite State. Aramean migrations toward the north of Syria began at this time. Procession of the Priestesses

17 | Carchemish of the Carchemish Kingdom roughly THE FIRST PERIOD OF from Kelekli in the north, to Körkün, THE SUHI DYNASTY Tünp and Tilsevet in the northwest, We have first learnt the name of and till Cekke in the west. Based on Country Governor Suhi I through an in- these records and the Assyrian cu- scription by his son. C. L. Woolley found neiform scripts, we can determine the in Carchemish two fragments of a lion kings and rulers of Carchemish as be- statue which contain the genealogy of low. Carchemish ruler Astualamanza and Suhi II, possibly his son. The author of SAPAZITI AND HIS the inscription introduces himself as SON URA-TARHUNZAS Astuwalamanzas, Country Governor from Carchemish, son of leader/regent We encounter the names of Sa- Suhi. Another fragment contains Suhi paziti and his son Ura-Tarhunzas on II’s name. Both inscriptions refer to con- a stele found in 2011 and erected by struction work. governor/regent Suhi. Both bear the title of ‘Great King Hero’. The stele com- Ura-Tarhunzas is succeeded by merorates a victory of the Carchemish another Carchemish king who could King. The victory was won against a be from his family. During the period country called Sura (possibly Assyria) when Suhi II and Katuwas - possibly of which we do not know the location. his son-were Carchemish Country Two more inscriptions in Carchemish Governors, the Carchemish kings mention the name of Ura-Tarhunzas. must have been from the house of These date from the Katuwas Period Ura-Tarhunzas. of the Suhi Dynasty. The inscriptions Katuwas’s genealogy can be re- traced thanks to an orthostat found at the Carchemish’s King’s Gate indi- cating: “I am Katuwas, Country Gover- nor of Carchemish, Country Governor Suhis’ son, Country Governor Astu- walamanza’s grandson...”. Another inscription dating from the same period mentions the suppression of a re- bellion against King Ura-Tarhunzas’s grandsons in Carchemish and the conquest of the city of Kava by Suhis. Based on all these documents we can Two Birdmen Two say that the princes from the lineage tell us about a fight for succession of Suhi ruled in Carchemish between against the grandsons of Ura-Tarhun- 1000 and 900 B.C., before the reign of zas. Assyrian King Assurnasirpal II.

18 | Carchemish Basalt Stele inscribed with Anatolian hieroglyph and dedicated to Uratarhunta, Great King of Carchemish, by Suhi I.

British Excavations of 1911 British Excavations

THE SANGARA PERIOD The depictions on a bronze relief Sangara was a contemporary of from the Shalmanasar Gate (Balawat Assurnasirpal II (883-859) and Shal- Gate) in Tell Balawat probably belong maneser III (858-824) and we know to Sangara and his daughter. The in- his name only from Assyrian sources. scription reads: “Tribute of Sangara One of these says: “On the eighth day from Carchemish”. Sangara is not of the month of Yaar-Iyar I left Kalah. I mentioned anywhere after 848 BC. crossed the Tigris, set forth from the He possibly reigned over Carchemish city of Carchemish in the Land of Hatti from 870 to 848 BC. and approached Bit-Bahiani. I crossed the Euphrates on rafts made of (in- THE ASTIRUWAS DYNASTY flated) goat skins (and) approached the Land of Carchemish. I took tribute At the end of the 9th century BC the from Sangara, the king of the Land of name of Carchemish King Astiruwas Hatti.” appears on quite a few Carchemish inscription. One of them is the Körkün Assurnasirpal II met Hatti King San- stele in the museum of Gaziantep. An- gara around 870 BC. It is also assumed other document mentioning Astiruwas that the Hittites that were domiciled in is an inscription telling about the for- the newly founded palace of Assyrian eign language skills of Yariris. Yariris, King Assur-nasir-apli in Kalhu and the who was a Carchemish governor in Hittite delegation attending the open- the beginning of the 8th century BC, ing came from Carchemish. In Assyri- was most probably a contemporary an sources Hatti and Carchemish of- of the Assyrian Governor Shamshi-ilu ten replace each other. from the city Kar-Shalmanasar. Yariris’

22 | Carchemish Wall Orthostat, exhibited in the Muse- from the stage of history. The city um of Anatolian Civilizations, contains was the strongest power that made interesting lines about this governor. the Hittite Empire politically last from On the back side of a stele that is now the 2nd millennium BC to its very late at the British Museum, it is inscribed days. The rich and cosmopolitan tex- that Carchemish King Kamanis had a ture of Northern Syria was successful- temple constructed for the goddess ly ruled by the Carchemish Kings un- Kubaba (depicted on the front side) der Hittite hegemony, and even after and had his own statue erected in the collapse of the central empire in front, whereas A. Drummond, the Hattusha, the Kingdom of Carchemish discoverer of Carchemish, had inter- and the other Neo-Hittite kingdoms preted the depiction of a figure clad carried the Hittite cultural heritage to in religious dresses as a high-ranking the next millennium. Christian priest’s gravestone. CARCHEMISH IN THE PISIRIS PERIOD THE POST-HITTITE ERA

In the 5th year of his reign the After having been under Assyrian Assyrian King Sargon II accuses Pi- control until the end of the 7th centu- siris together with Mida from Muski ry, Carchemish and its surroundings (Phrygia), to have plotted against the came under Babylonian and then Assyrians, marches against Carchem- Persian rule. Later on, the Romans ish and puts an end followed, then to the Kingdom of Byzantines Carchemish. and Arabs conquered The looting of the area. In the city under As- the course syrian King Sargon of history the II in 717 B.C.E. and Seljuk Turks the deportation of established its population to their reign, suc- Assyria results in ceeded by the Carchemish be- Mamelukes. coming an Assyrian Throughout city. the whole Mid- dle Ages the With Sargon region around II’s moving of As- Carchemish syrian settlers to saw fights of Carchemish, the tribes for dom- Hittites disappear inance. Final-

23 | Carchemish King Katuwas Relief reign in 1516 with the victory of Marj Dabiq. Towards the end of the 17th century the Ottoman State applied a new settlement strategy in the region. The objective of this strategy was to turkify the area. The reason for these efforts was undoubtedly the Arab elements that opposed themselves against the Ottoman rule. The local Arab societies kept revolting against the Ottoman administration thus causing constant trouble to the state. Strong in number and very primitive, the Arabic Aneza, Shamar and Tay clans undermined the order and authority in the region. It was nearly impossible for the Ot- toman state to establish any kind of régime. In addition, the Turkish population in the area suffered from the Arabs’ lack of discipline. During the years in question, the central state authority was weakened as well and

Relief Depicting a Palace Attendant Carrying a Child Attendant Depicting a Palace Relief this weakness was felt even more strongly in the more distant districts ly, the Kayı, the tribe that would later of the empire. Considering the Jelali found the Ottoman state, entered Revolts in Anatolia the anarchy in the Anatolia by crossing the Euphrates distant parts becomes even more un- not far from Carchemish. derstandable. Due to this situation, in the end of the 17th century (1691) the CARCHEMISH DURING state forced Turkish clans from Middle THE OTTOMAN ERA Anatolia to settle along the Euphrates and other streams. Even though not Upon the demise of the Anatolian totally successful, this measure that Seljuk Sultanate and the drifting apart caused a lot of trouble to the state of the Turkish union, the Sons of Os- and the forced settlers attained its man succeeded in conquering all of goal. On the one hand, the Turkiza- Anatolia and integrating Northern Syr- tion was promoted, on the other hand ia into their empire. the harmful anarchy in the region was prevented. Tales, poems and songs As a result, the region around of the events, pains and troubles that Carchemish was conquered by the accompanied this forced settlement Ottomans under Yavuz Sultan Selim’s policy, and the suffering and fighting

24 | Carchemish Text about King Katuwas written in Anatolian hieroglyphs of the settlers are still remembered where a bridge crossed the Euphra- today. The legends and sagas from tes, and then continued further east. the period live on in the way of life Until then Carchemish had been lost that is now called Barak folklore. To- in the depths of the past, but becom- day, Carchemish is the centre of the ing an important stop on the railway Barak culture. line Carchemish (Karkamış) gradually started to liven up again. The Karkamış By the end of the 19th century, Ger- railway bridge over the Euphrates many established friendly relations was the longest and technologically with the Ottoman state, thus leading most advanced of its time. With a total to the construction of the first railway length of 870 metres and eight arches line through Anatolia. Having long of hundred metres each, the bridge is since undergone the industrial revo- like a masterfully shaped monument lution, Germany was mainly interested of art in steel. The bridge is wholely in the region’s petrol resources, which constructed with rivets. The station were then still in the hands of the Ot- building and service areas were built tomans. The German Hedjaz – Bag- of specially imported stone and are dad railway project was started with still in perfect condition. this objective in mind. The railway line was built via Aleppo over Carchemish, Master of Animals Relief

26 | Carchemish A good example of an illustrative relief from Carchemish period II is the lion lying down with two figures standing on its back. The human figure in front has wings and a long, Assyrian style beard (curled). The figure behind is similar to the other but holds a symbol in the right hand and a battle axe in the left.

27 | Carchemish CARCHEMISH ART IN THE LATE HITTITE PERIOD Situated on a plain besides the Euphrates River, Carchemish was one of the large cities of the Late Hittite Period.

Technical features of Hittite and Assyrian military architecture were employed during the expansion of the settlement. In some places there are breaks in the fortifications to al- low incorporation of even the small- Gods Fighting Winged Bull est natural barriers on the plain into the defence system. Although every (dated to the 2nd millenium B.C.E.) rise is used to advantage, flat sections towards the west, and the fortification of 700 meters long necessitated the remains here have been dated to the construction of earthwork barriers. 13th century B.C.E. This earthen rampart shows struc- tural differences along its length. Its In Late Hittite art, figures are height varies depending on the type carved in bas-relief, cleanly and quite of soil present. The rampart borders deeply on prepared surfaces. Some- Carchemish Inner Town towards the times the other details in the image plain in the northwest and extends to are carved in very light relief, faces for the southeast tower of the city walls example, on which only the cheeks along the Euphrates. Since the barri- are slightly raised. er is of piled sand in this section, the sides have been reinforced with walls. The faces have noticeable bulges and projections only on the frontally The earthern rampart is covered carved reliefs; this sculpting is clearly with adobe (mudbrick). The shape of evident on the face of the hero “master the earthen rampart at Carchemish of animals”. has not been definitely ascertained but depths of 50 m and heights of The sculpting of limbs is striking in up to 20 m have been determined. the reliefs of the “Herald’s Wall”. This There maybe a mudbrick wall with- shows the art of relief emerging and be- out a stone foundation atop the 10 ing used for a certain purpose. Other meter-wide earthwork rampart, but it reliefs on the wall depict a scorpion man has not been possible to establish the and god attacking a rearing winged bull, wall’s height. Existence of the earth- and a god and hero killing a lion. Incor- en rampart has been identified on porating these kind of reliefs, this wall the land side of the citadel/acropolis must have been perceived as a picture

28 | Carchemish wall extendingsouthwardsthatbor sified. Long Wall ofSculpturearebeingclas reliefs inthe“ProcessionalEntry”on lion manfightinganimals.Theorthostat here includedepictionsofalion,and Wall” groupoforthostats. Thereliefs Gate” areaarelinked withthe“Herald’s jects consideredrelatedtooneanother. or “pictorialsurface” carvedwithsub parts are not discernable beneath the parts arenotdiscernable beneaththe clothes orclothed figures.Thebody trast, thereisnosuchsoftness inthe depiction ofhumanfigures. Bycon tempt tobringanewnaturalism tothe the chariots.Thereisanobvious at dess andtheenemyfigures beneath on theabdomenofnaked god forearms. Thisroundnessisalsoseen ident on the cheeks, eyes, calves and the faces and bodies is especially ev explicit lines.Thelifelike roundnessof surface. Thedetailsarecarvedwith tours andsmoothlinesonaregular reliefs arecarvedwithroundedcon riors wearingcrestedhelmets.The gods, battlechariotsandarmedwar of the “Long Wall of Sculpture” depict epigraphs abovethem.Theorthostats and horse-drawn chariots, and have compositions containpeopleinpairs figures inthecompositionstand.The band atthebase, uponwhichallthe have thenotablefeatureofabraided discovered inadegradedstate. They surfaces. Themajorityofthesewere Basalt orthostatswereontheexterior ders the“Great Staircase” onthewest. The “Long Wall ofSculpture” isthe Some orthostatsfoundinthe“King’s ------hand raised to the level of his head, hand raisedtothelevelofhishead, relief shows King Katuwas with his left nor are his feet carved in detail. The ure are not visible through his clothes, of Carchemishart.Thelineshisfig bodily featuresexhibittheoriginality his right hand. The round lines of his waist; and the staff held vertically in wide belt; the style of the sword at his short-sleeved, shortgarmentwith Other notablefeaturesaretheking’s shaped eyebrowsdominatetheface. lineated bypiping,andthereliefbow- curls. Thewell-shaped,frontaleyede beard aretwistedintorowsofround the napeofhisneckandbothhair the inscription(1.25m).Hishaircovers is standing,andthesameheightas to therightofa9-lineinscription.He tion isunknown.Thekingshown Entrance” -althoughitsoriginalloca discovered nexttothe“Processional ish KingKatuwas onabasaltorthostat nating work is the relief of Carchem Carchemish artgroup, themostillumi are carvedflatly. cloth. The bodies of the battle horses In regard to the history of the In regardtothehistoryof 29 |Carchemish - - - - -

Servants Bearing Sacrifices Relief of Ceremonial Procession with Relief Nobles Palace

which in itself indicates a king, and The basalt and limestone orthos- at the same time expresses a written tat reliefs used in the big wall to the character meaning “I”. northeast of the kings’ gate known as the “Processional Entrance” are on The hunting scene and the feast exhibit in the Museum of Anatolian scene on the Long Wall of Sculpture Civilizations in Ankara. Unfortunate- are based on the Assyrian model. ly, the beginning and end of this was The frames of the chariots are high- discovered in a very ruined state. A er with shields on the rear in place of series of figures in groups of three is doors, and they have upright spears carved on the orthostats. The god- ready for combat inside and outside dess Kubaba is followed by priestess- the chariot. The ornamental rosettes es holding offerings, after which are on the sides of the chariots are also male servants with sacrificial animals seen on Assyrian chariots of the 8th slung over their shoulders. There century B.C.E. The plumes and crests are also dancers and musicians play- decoration adorning the horses ing drums, flute, bugle and lute in the heads are also in the Assyrian style. cult procession. On a corner orthostat Under the horses is a naked enemy Kubaba, the chief deity of Carchem- warrior shot by an arrow. The warri- ish, appears as the focal point of the or shooting the arrow is depicted with procession, with staff in hand and the arrow straight in front of his body seated on a high-backed chair on the at neck level. back of a kneeling lion. She is wearing a long garment. This garment- a

30 | Carchemish The plumes and crests decoration adorning the horses heads are in the Assyrian style. Under the horses is a naked enemy warrior shot by an arrow. In the image of the warrior shooting the arrow, he is depicted with the arrow straight in front of his body above the neck.

31 | Carchemish Palace Children Palace

length of cloth wrapped round the figures appear side-by-side, carefully body from the polos on the head arranged carved designs of several down to the feet, like a coat, leaving related figures in a composition ap- only the face uncovered was worn by pear on one orthostat. women and also priests. Broad belts made of rows of cords and bracelets Thus, the wall with these kinds of ornament the female figures. Facing reliefs must have presented a “picto- in the opposite direction, to the right rial surface” carved with seemingly re- towards the King’s Gate and a figure lated themes. An object in the center, that is probably a god, is a procession people, animals, fantastical creatures, of footsoldiers. a tree of life and antithetically arranged figures resemble a heraldic design. The basalt and limestone orthos- This aesthetically pleasing, colourful tats of the “Herald’s Wall” have rich- wall of large (1-1.50 m) limestone and ly carved images. A long portion of basalt orthostats was named after this wall was probably covered with these interesting designs. reliefs, 13 of which were discovered in situ. The figures are carved on a Body parts are carved with at- smooth surface, and there is generally tention to detail. This is especially a border framing the relief at the bot- evident on the legs - the knees and tom. These reliefs are distinguished calves being well-defined, the face by the way the figures are used for a - the fullness of the cheeks and well- purpose. Although some unrelated shaped eyes, nose, and mouth. The

32 | Carchemish details are rendered with deep cuts amples of the Assyrianized Late Hittite into the surface. style can be seen in the orthostats of the “Royal Buttress” at Carchemish. In some of the Carchemish carv- ings, there are closed groups of three The “Royal Buttress” is a later-built figures. Only on the relief of a hero protruding structure next to the Pro- fighting the animals and the orthostat cessional Entrance. The basalt ortho- with three animal figures are the ani- stats here were found in situ and their mals depicted on a free background. form is distinguishable from those pre- People, gods, heros and half-human viously mentioned. They have a nar- figures alike are all shown wearing row border along the bottom edge. the same costume: a short tunic and Some of them are divided in two by shoes with pointed, upturned toes. a strip, and some bear inscriptions on the relief, which describe its sub- The figures’ hair hangs down their ject. The surfaces are carved in much backs in braids. More rarely seen is higher relief, giving the human figures hair gathered in a rounded bun at the prominent dimension/volume. Carv- nape of the neck. The curled hair ings on the “Royal Buttress” portray style does not appear in the Herald’s the last sovereign of Carchemish (de- Wall reliefs; here only the beards are scribed in the inscription as “tarwanis” styled in curled rows. In the general meaning “governor”), members of the picture of the lions, there are noticea- Yariris and Kamanis families and their ble differences in the stylization of the guards, and the palace soldiers. (In ar- paws. chaeology literature these are called the Araras reliefs.) The back legs are lightly indicated and separated by a semi-circular line. In the reliefs of this group, rounded On the sculpted works, however, the contours are especially evident on the back legs and hip contour is drawn heads, faces and arms. The faces are with a line that extends to the ridge of no longer flat, and the eyes, cheeks the back. and lips have very well-defined detail. The eyes are in sizeable, deep sock- In Late Hittite art, the reliefs and ets, and delineated by bow-shaped sculptures clearly show the heavy in- piping. The forehead is again low and fluence of Assyrian and Aramaic art slopes down to a straight nose. The movements on the Hittite style. In faces in these reliefs have curved addition to this movement that made cheeks, strong chins and well-defined itself felt in plastic art, along with in- necks. Detail is also observed on the fluences from other neighbouring arms. countries, it is in places found in Hittite elements and in Carchemish, Zincirli Sculptures and reliefs representa- and Sakçagözü. The most striking ex- tive of the final stages of Late Hittite

33 | Carchemish art are also seen on the basalt ortho- especially resemble examples from stats of the gate of the “Great Stair- the same perod in Babylon. Strong case”. Most of these were not found Assyrian influences can be observed in situ. The monumental stairway used in the hairstyle and clothes of deities by pedestrians to climb to the city’s and rulers depicted in the Carchem- citadel was uncovered during the ish reliefs (Ankara Museum of Anato- earliest excavations at Carchemish, lian Civilizations). The very damaged and most of the orthostats around it statue of a king wearing garments were transported to London. A few with diagonal pleats parallels the im- pieces belonging to this group are ages of kings found at Malatya and preserved in Ankara Museum of Ana- tolian Civilizations. These reliefs are distinguishable from the others at first glance. Their main features are the presence of a wide border along the bottom and the very high, almost plastic nature of the reliefs. This is notable on the orthostats carved with the king reliefs. Inscriptions also surround the reliefs.

The orthostat has been so deeply carved in the case of the king relief that the outer right foot projects beyond the base border frame, and is almost fully 3-dimensional. The heads and faces have soft contours, the faces are rounded and the details em- phasized. The detail of the garment folds and body organs, especially on the arms and the stylization of the muscles on the torso are very well- carved. The way the lines of the body The King Relief are revealed beneath the clothes is executed with great expertise. Sakçagözü. Some reliefs on the south gate at Carchemish are ranked with These heavily ravaged, late pe- this group. riod reliefs bear similarities to the images on the Babylon-Ishtar Gate. In Late Hittite art, the reliefs and The double-horned, cylindrical po- sculptures clearly show the heavy in- los-type headress, hair and elegant fluence of Assyrian and Aramaic art facial features of a goddess here movements on the Hittite style. In

34 | Carchemish

addition to this movement that made ly towards the front. The front part itself felt in plastic art, along with in- is carved plastically but still shaped fluences from other neighbouring much like a relief. On the lions’ countries, it is in places found in Hittite heads, although rounded forms may elements and in Carchemish, Zincirli be seen especially on the ears, the and Sakçagözü. The most striking ex- details have been rendered on the amples of the Assyrianized Late Hittite surface plane. For example, the nose, style can be seen in the orthostats of mouth and tongue hanging over the the “Royal Buttress” at Carchemish. chin are defined with deep chiseled lines; the eyes are large in propor- The lions at the gate tion to the head, and are are cubic and massive. almond-shaped and Although inspired by delineated with piping. examples from the 13th This type of eye be- century B.C.E, aspects came a characteristic such as the detail of feature of Late Hittite the manes and joints, art. and legs circumscribed with piping, are all very The most interest- different. ing carving on these lions’ faces is their styl- The dominant char- ized eyebrows with a acteristic of the gate button-like circle on the lions is their highly sche- inner end and a narrow matized form - remote band curving above from naturalism. the big eyes. The solid, semi-circular ears are Another notable fea- also very distinctive. ture of the lions is their Detailed carving is also pose. As in the lions in evident in the spiral the reliefs, the innermost hairs of the lions’ manes. back leg is shown The sculptor of striding forward. these lions carved the There is tails straight proportion in and hang- the pose. The ing down. back legs are longer than the front and the stomach line slopes slight- Kubaba Basalt Stele 36 | Carchemish CARCHEMISH AND GILGAMESH The ancient and new settlements named after him, might seem within of Carchemish (Karkamış) are located the bounds of possibility. However, between latitude 36° 37’ and longi- there is no historical basis for this tude 37° 38’. The name Karkamış is idea, neither is there any direct rela- often said to come from the hero of tionship between Carchemish and the the famous Sumerian epic of King Gil- Gilgamesh epic, which is firmly rooted gamesh, although there is no histori- in the Sumerian tradition. It later be- cal basis for this idea. As a matter of came a legend common to other Mes- fact, Carchemish and Gilgamesh are opotamian civilizations. just close lexically and in nature. This epic tells the stories of Gilgamesh’s Carchemish is an ancient city that travels, adventures and quest to de- was cradle to many archaic cultures at feat death. least as old as Gilgamesh. It has been important throughout history due to In the story, the Uruk king Gil- its location at the strategic crossing of gamesh travels all over Mesopota- the Eurphrates River for caravans en- mia. This hero is two-thirds god and gaged in Syrian, Mesopotamian and one-third human. His weapon weighs Anatolian trade. 300 oka (1 oka=approx. 1.25 kg). After the death of his friend Enkidu, a During the time of Sargon’s hero like himself, Gilgamesh successors, Carchemish is sets out from Uruk to discov- mentioned as an Assyrian er the secret of eternal life, state. Thus, inhabited since so wandering the valley of the Neolithic age, and one the Euphrates in a state of of the largest cities in north- fear, confusion and sor- ern Syria during the sec- row. He meets the sage ond millennium, during called Utnapishtim on the first millennium the tablets (Noah) who Carchemish came tells him about the under pressure from Flood, and generally the Assyrian kings wanders around like on one side, and a “crazed outlaw”. the Urartu kings on the other. Al- Thus, the hy- though manag- pothesis that this ing to protect its famous king of political existence the epic came under Sargon, it had to the region of become an Assyrian Carchemish and province by the 7th that the city was century B.C.E.

Gilgamesh 37 | Carchemish REFERENCES

• AKURGAL, Ekrem., Anadolu Uygarlıkları, Net Turistik Yayınlar Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., 1998. • AKURGAL, Ekrem., Hatti ve Hitit Uygarlıkları, İzmir, 1995. • ALKIM, B., Jahrbuch für Kleinasiatische Forschung, 1965. • Ana Britannica Genel Kültür Ansiklopedisi, Ana Yayıncılık A.Ş. ve Encyclopaedia Britannica, İnc. İşbirliğiyle, İstanbul, 1989. • BABAT, Ali., Birinci Gaziantep Tarihi ve Kültürel Değerler Sempozyumu Bildirileri Eylül 1987, “Antik Dolichenos kenti Tarihi ve Teşup (Zeus – Jüpiter) Dolichenos Kültü” Gaziantep Rotary Kulübü, Gaziantep, 1987. • BALCIOĞLU, Burhan., Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi 1997 Yıllığı, “Gaziantep Arkeoloji Müzesindeki Bazı Geç Hitit Stelleri Hakkında” Ankara, 1998, s. 95-102. • BALCIOĞLU, Burhan., Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi 1999 Yıllığı, “Gaziantep Arkeoloji Müzesinde Bulunan Geç Hitit Devri Stelleri” Ankara, 2000, s. 111-115. • ÇELİK, Ali Sami., Gaziantep Müzesinde Bulunan Roma Dönemi Figürlü Mezar Stelleri, Lisanstezi, TC Selçuk Üniversitesi, Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi, Arkeoloji ve Sanat Tarihi Bölümü, Konya, 1992. • DARGA, A. Muhibbe., Hitit Sanatı, Akbank Yayınları, İstanbul, 1992. • HIRÇIN, Selen., Çivi Yazısı Ortaya Çıkışı, Gelişmesi, Çözümü, İstanbul Üniversitesi, Edebiyat Fakültesi, Eskiçağ Bilimleri Enstitüsü Yayınlar, İstanbul, 1995. • LUSCHAN, F.V., Ausgrabungen Sendschirli, I-IV, 1893-1943. • MARCHETTI, N., Karkemish. An Ancient Capital on the Euphrates, Bologna University, Bologna 2014. • MAYER, E., Reich und Kultur der Chetiter, 1914. • Meydan Larousse Büyük Lügat ve Ansiklopedi, c.12, Meydan Yayınevi, 1990. • MOORTGAT, A., Die Bildende Kunst der Alten Orients und die Bergvölker, 1932. • ORTHMANN, W., Untersuchungen zur spathethitischen Kunst, Rudolf Habelt Verlag, Bonn, 1971. • OSTEN, V., Oriental Institute Communications 8, 1930. • Peker, H., Karkamış Krallığı Arkeo Atlas Dergisi sy. 36-43 2005. • Peker, H., Hitit Egemenliğinden ,assur İstilasına kadar yazılı belgelere göre Karkamış Tarihi. İstanbul Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Yüksek Lisans Tezi, İstanbul. 2004. • SALTUK, Secda., Arkeoloji Sözlüğü, İnkılap Kitabevi, İstanbul, 1997. • SÖZEN, M., - TANYELİ, U., Sanat Kavram ve Terimleri Sözlüğü, Remzi Kitabevi, İstanbul, 1986.

38 | Carchemish

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY GOVERNORSHIP OF GAZIANTEP Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism Phone : 0342 230 59 69 Fax : 0342 232 84 81 www.gaziantepkulturturizm.gov.tr [email protected]

SILKROAD DEVELOPMENT AGENCY Phone : 0342 231 07 01 Fax : 0342 231 07 03 www.ika.org.tr [email protected]