Alaca Hüyük is a ruined city of the Hittites in the south of the Turkish Black Sea coast in the Turkey.
background
history
The first traces of settlement could be found in the area in the 6th millennium BC. To be dated. In the 3rd millennium BC Alaca Hüyük grew up to become the local center of the Hattie, as evidenced by the princely graves discovered here. At the beginning of the 2nd millennium they expanded their supremacy through active trade with Assyria, and cities were founded, such as that of Hattuşa. But that also aroused the envy of the neighbors. So it happened that between the 19th century BC BC and the 17th century BC The Hittite prince Anitta from the then capital Kanes (today Kültepe ) went out to crush the Hattier. But under the Hittites this place also grew into a small town. Some researchers see the holy place Zippalanda in this place, which was consecrated by the Hittites to the sun goddess of Arinna and has its own gate in Hattuşa owned. In the course of the great changes at the end of the Bronze Age, this place was also abandoned.
landscape
Alaca Hüyük is located on the northern edge of the Cappadocia region. Here one finds a dry continental climate, and the landscape today is steppe-like barren and largely treeless. The winters are long and cold, and the summers are relatively short and hot. In the past, however, there was a more humid climate here, which meant that the heat and cold peaks were less pronounced. In addition to the central steppe areas in the area of Cappadocia (starting south of Yozgat), there were extensive areas with a dense vegetation cover and forests, especially in the north. This prevented erosion and allowed the earth to store more water, which in turn benefited vegetation. The conditions for agriculture and animal husbandry were more favorable than they are today, and the forests provided habitat for numerous wild animals.
getting there
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Unfortunately, this place cannot be reached by public transport. But this is off Çorum or off Hattuşa Well signposted when coming by car.
Fees / permits
Entry is 3 TL
mobility
There is enough parking space in front of the site. The facility is clearly laid out and can be explored on foot.
Dynamic cardsTourist Attractions
The area is comparatively small with a size of not even a square kilometer. Passing a small cafe, we are straight into a small museum, in which, in addition to the 14 different settlement levels, some finds are displayed. Explanatory documents are only available Mondays to Saturdays. To the right it goes to Hüyük, where a signposted circular path leads you across the area, where there is a lot to see.
- 1 Sphinx Gate - The Sphinx Gate cannot be overlooked. The two large, approx. 2m high sphinxes give a good impression of the imposing appearance of this gate. In addition, many stone carvings can still be seen on the left and right sides of the city wall. These represent a procession to an altar on which the bull of the weather god is enthroned. At the front you can find the king in a prayer position. In the wake you can see sacrificial animals, musicians and jugglers with flutes and ladders. The stones in the city wall are, however, duplicates. The original is in the museum Ankara to find.
- 2 13 royal tombs - The graves found here are attributed to the so-called Hatti phase and date from the 3rd millennium BC. The grave finds are no longer here. However, the graves and representations of the grave finds can still be visited.
- The 3 Kolonadenstrasse shows a sewer system with many gate openings. For trained eyes, signs of wear and tear on the swing doors can be seen. To the right and left are foundations of smaller and larger temples and houses.
activities
- Discover. Even if in many cases only the floor plans of the buildings have survived, there are many things to discover here, such as sewer systems, recordings for gates or grinding marks. The notice boards help with this.
shop
There are several souvenir dealers right at the entrance, offering either a selection of souvenirs from Ankara or self-made souvenirs. These show either Hittite / Hatti motifs or craftsmanship from the region. The souvenirs to be bought here do not correspond to the kitsch that is otherwise to be found.
kitchen
By doing 1 Tea garden In the entrance area it can be endured well. With a view of the Sphinx Gate, you can enjoy freshly made gözleme (the Turkish version of crepes) in addition to tea.
accommodation
security
trips
literature
- Maciej Popko, Zippalanda: A Cult Center in Hittite Asia Minor (1994).
- Maciej Popko, On the geography of northern central Anatolia in the Hittite period. In: Th. PJ van den Hout and J. de Roos (eds.), Studio Historiae Ardens: Ancient Near Eastern studies presented to Philo HJ Houwink ten Cate on the occasion of his 65th birthday (Istanbul, Nederlands Historisch-Archaeologische Instituut 1995) , 253-59.
- Maciej Popko, Zippalanda and Ankuwa 0nce more. Journal American Oriental Society 120/3, 2000, 445-448.
