Cuneiform tablets found in Hattusa, in northeastern Turkey, revealed inscriptions in an unknown language that remained shrouded in mystery for centuries. These tablets, which once belonged to the Hittite Empire, will probably allow us to look at a linguistic and historical puzzle that has long puzzled researchers in a new way.
Once the mighty capital of the Hittite Empire, Hattushi flourished during the Late Bronze Age. The Hittites were a formidable civilization known for their advanced military technology and diplomacy, but their writing and culture have long been of interest to historians and archaeologists. Cuneiform writing, a writing system of cuneiform characters pressed into clay tablets, was common in the ancient Near East, and the Hittites were no exception. Their extensive use of cuneiform provided valuable information about their administrative, religious and cultural practices.
Hittite ivory sphinx, 18th century BC
The Hittites were known for documenting their laws and battles on clay tablets. Since the 1980s, archaeologists have discovered more than 30,000 clay tablets with cuneiform writing in Hattush. Most of them were written in Hittite, but recent research has shown that some were written in a previously unknown language. Scientists suggest that it was probably spoken by the inhabitants of Kalashma, a region on the northwestern edge of the empire. Researchers suggest that the tablets described an ancient cultural rite that was performed in Kalashma.
Unraveling the secrets hidden in these mysterious inscriptions is a huge challenge. The linguistic community eagerly awaits the declaration of philologists and decipherment experts to reveal the meaning of an unknown language. The process of decipherment usually involves comparing the writing with known languages, looking for patterns, and cross-referencing with bilingual inscriptions or related texts.
Reliefs and hieroglyphs from a room built and decorated by the last Hittite king
The discovery of this previously unknown language could have far-reaching implications for understanding the Hittite Empire and the ancient world. If the inscriptions are successfully deciphered, they could shed light on the diplomatic relations, religious ceremonies, legal systems and social structures of the Hittite civilization. It may even provide insight into interactions with neighboring cultures and civilizations of the time.
Twelve Hittite gods of the underworld
Tudgalia IV
Source: iflscience.com
