Abstract
Regular celestial events assumed remarkable significance for the cultic rituals of the Hittite civilisation (c. 1600-1180 BC) in central Asia Minor. Numerous texts found at the capital Ḫattusa relate to solar deities and celestial divination reminiscent of Old Babylonian astronomical and astrological practices. Here we suggest that the rock sanctuary of Yazilikaya, which was considered one of the holiest places in the Hittite kingdom, had a calendrical function. It contains more than 90 rock-cut reliefs, dating to the second half of the thirteenth century BC, of deities, humans, animals and mythical figures. The reliefs in Chamber A are arranged in groups to mark the days, synodic months and solar years. Using this system, the Hittite priests were able to determine when additional months were required to keep lunar and solar years aligned. The astronomical and astrological interpretation of Yazilikaya serves as a point of departure for a brief re-examination of celestial aspects in Hittite religion. Open Access: CC BY
Highlights
We show for the first time that the reliefs in Chamber A at Yazılıkaya are arranged in groups for the purpose of marking the days, synodic months and solar years, to determine when additional months were required to keep lunar and solar years aligned
We continue by examining supporting evidence for celestial aspects of Hittite religion already known from previous archaeological studies of Yazılıkaya
This is derived from the architectural remains of the Hittite capital Ḫattuša, from documents found in Ḫattuša and from investigations elsewhere in the Hittite kingdom
Summary
Not again shall I interchange [the festivals] of the spring and of [the autumn] and [the festivals of the sprin]g I shall perform punctually in the spring, [the festivals of the a]utumn I shall perform punctually in the autumn. A major effort was made to shape the natural outcrop by quarrying and chiselling to produce level horizontal and vertical surfaces as well as sills These level surfaces and ledges (Figure 1) may have had a function that was as important as the depictions in the reliefs. The latter may not have been very well executed artistically (Bryce 2002, 161), but they are consistent with other depictions of deities in Hittite sculpture and glyphs. Jürgen Seeher concludes: “It is still by no means clear today what function the rock sanctuary fulfilled” (Seeher 2011, 154) He adds that Yazılıkaya “continues to guard its secrets” (Seeher 2011, 5; Bilgin 2015)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
