An interesting fact that doesn´t come along with every-day knowledge is that Anatolia (Asia Minor), which comprises present-day Turkey, has been the location of great fascinating history and many local kingdoms and at least one great empire, long before the Turks arrived. The empire I´m referring to is the Hittite Empire with its capital Hattuša (pron. Hattusha). Long lost to academics and scholars, Hattuša was only known through Genesis of the Old Testament. Only in 1834 did French expedition leader Charles Texier discover the ruins but could not really classify and confirm its origins. Ever since 1906 the German Oriental Society and nowadays the German Archaeological Society have been excavating at the site, bringing to light tens of thousands of clay tablets confirming that the site is the former capital of the Hittite Empire. These early documents in Akkadian cuneiform script describe many things from Hittite warfare, trade ties, contracts, cult ceremonies, agricultural techniques, legal codes and literature all the way to every day banalities as clothing, food, games and inheritance matters. The Hittites were a very agressively expanding, well organized and innovative bunch. At the peak, their empire stretched from northern central Anatolia down to the Levant (Canaan) and northern Mesopotamia (Assyria), their strongest opponents being the Egyptians who pushed up north along the same areas. Many small disputes and clashes culminated in the battle of Kadesh (the area of present-day Homs, Syria) between the Hittites and the Egyptians. Unlike many battles before and after Kadesh in antiquity, this battle ended in a stalemate without a clear winner. Actually it was a close thing Pharao Ramesses II didn´t lose the battle due to tactical superiority of the Hittites. As a consequence of this clash the Egyptians under Ramesses II and the Hittites under Hattusili III agreed to the first known peace treaty, which still exists to this day. A copy of this treaty is displayed at the UN Headquarters in New York.

I find it highly fascinating what historic and cultural treasures lie within Anatolia. The sheer endless history ever since homo sapiens started cultivating fields can be found here. Earliest civilizations, settlements and human innovations, philosophy, math and other sciences can be traced back to the Anatolian Coasts. Even the spreading of early Christianity happened here amongst other places. What spiritual darkness and mental backwardness must have prevailed in the very long dark ages which our european ancestors had to endure. All of the classical knowledge was lost, at least not known by the vast majority of people. Now we have the insight and the findings but interest is dwindling, instead of learning and to benefit from the knowledge of the past, most people are preoccupied with modern life. Knowing the past and learning from the past means having a chance for a better future. Instead, parts of our world fall back into a very dark and savage age again. 

The Anatolian Highland has been a challenging but also rewarding landscape

to all who managed to conquer some parts of it.

The stone patterns outline the temple district of Hattuša.

A part of the city wall and guard towers have been reconstructed.

Original rampart.

The Kings Gate (with duplicated relief) was most probably only for ceremonial occasions.

The original of the relief is in the Museum of Anatolian Civilization in Ankara.

This extremely smooth green (cult?) stone cube, similar to nephrite (jade)

is supposedly a present from Ramesses II. 

Akkadian cuneiform script is completely deciphered.

Procession of Gods at a holy site outside of the walled city. 

See more images of Hattuša and start a slideshow.