Andreas Schachner | German Archaeological Institute (original) (raw)

Books by Andreas Schachner

The so-called Great Temple and the monumental buildings in its vicinity are the most emblematic s... more The so-called Great Temple and the monumental buildings in its vicinity are the most emblematic structures in the Hittite capital Ḫattuša. It is one of the best-preserved ensembles of monumental Hittite architecture, which stands par excellence for Hittite culture in Central Anatolia and is today visited by all visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The edifices were investigated in several stages between 1907 and 1969 so that the history of research into this extensive Bronze Age settlement is reflected in an exemplary way in the changing development of the excavations and their reappraisal. The differentiated presentation of all buildings creates, for the first time, a sound basis for including these buildings in modern research questions of archaeology as well as cultural and architectural history. The work results not only in changes in the evaluation of the spatial structures and their functions but especially in the solution to the question of when this ensemble was founded. The construction of these buildings already in the formative phase of the Hittite empire can be associated with politically and socially indicated religious developments and with the urban transformation of Ḫattuša from an Anatolian city to the religious and political center of an ancient Near Eastern empire.

Der sogenannte Große Tempel und die monumentale Bebauung in seinem Umfeld sind die prägenden Bauten in der hethitischen Hauptstadt Ḫattuša. Es handelt sich um eines der am besten erhaltenen Ensembles monumentaler hethitischer Architektur, das par excellence für die hethitische Kultur in Zentralanatolien steht und heute von allen Besuchern der UNESCO-Weltkulturerbestätte besichtigt wird. Die Bauwerke wurden in mehreren Etappen zwischen 1907 und 1969 zwar untersucht, aber nie im Detail vorgelegt. In der wechselvollen Entwicklung der Grabungen und deren Aufarbeitung spiegelt sich die Geschichte der Erforschung der bronzezeitlichen Großsiedlung exemplarisch. Die differenzierte Vorlage sämtlicher Baubefunde schafft nun erstmals eine fundierte Grundlage dafür, diese Gebäude in moderne Forschungsfragen der Archäologie sowie der Kultur- und Architekturgeschichte einzubeziehen. Aus den Arbeiten ergeben sich nicht nur Veränderungen in der Bewertung der Raumstrukturen und deren Funktionen, sondern insbesondere für die Frage, wann dieses Ensemble gegründet wurde. Die Errichtung dieser Bauwerke bereits in der Entstehungsphase des hethitischen Großreichs lässt sich mit politisch und gesellschaftlich indizierten religiösen Entwicklungen ebenso verbinden wie mit der städtebaulichen Umgestaltung Ḫattušas von einer anatolischen Stadt zum religiösen und politischen Zentrum eines altorientalischen Großreichs.

https://reichert-verlag.de/schlagworte/altertumswissenschaften_schlagwort/9783752008036_ausgrabungen_in_der_unterstadt_von_bogazkoey_ii-detail

https://zenon.dainst.org/Record/003081468
https://publications.dainst.org/books/dai/catalog/book/2112

Die spät-chalkolithischen Siedlungsschichten in Giricano vermitteln einen ununterbrochenen Überbl... more Die spät-chalkolithischen Siedlungsschichten in Giricano vermitteln einen ununterbrochenen Überblick über die kulturelle Entwicklung im Tal des Oberen Tigris von der Obed-Zeit bis in die erste Hälfte des 3. Jahrtausends v. Chr. Die materielle Kultur der noch in der Phase Late-Chalcolithic (LC) 1 gegründeten Siedlung zeigt, dass die bisher hauptsächlich im heutigen Nordirak dokumentierte Kultur bis zum Fuß des Taurus reichte. Kurz vor der Wende vom 4. zum 3. Jahrtausend v. Chr. erreichte die Siedlung in der Phase LC 5 den Höhepunkt ihrer Entwicklung. Dieser ist durch ein monumentales Gebäude dokumentiert, das wahrscheinlich durch ein Erdbeben zerstört wurde. Eine Nachbesiedlung in der so genannten Nineveh 5-Periode ist wesentlich kleiner, bevor der Fundort aufgegeben wurde. Die Darstellung folgt der Entwicklung der Architektur, der Keramik und der Kleinfunde. Sie wird durch eine Diskussion der Integration der Siedlung in die überregionale Kulturentwicklung ergänzt.

Andreas Schachner is a member of the research staff of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (DAI), responsible for Near Eastern Archaeology, since 2005. He completed his studies at the University of Munich in 1993, and obtained his PhD from Munich in 1999, followed by the Habilitation in 2005. As of 2006, Schachner is the director of the long-term project “The Excavations of Hattusha” on behalf of the DAI. Before attending the DAI Schachner conducted excavations at Giricano between 2000 and 2003 as part of a joint effort by the University of Munich and the Diyarbakır Archaeological Museum as well as archaeological and epigraphical surveys at the Tigris Tunnel (2004). Schachner is a corresponding member of the DAI, the Turkish Institute for Ancient Studies and an adjunct Professor at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg.

for further informations cf.: http://www.brepols.net/Pages/ShowProduct.aspx?prod_id=IS-9782503575360-1

Hattuşa 100 yılı aşkın bir süredir gerçekleştirilmekte olan disiplinlerarası çalışmaların, Anadol... more Hattuşa 100 yılı aşkın bir süredir gerçekleştirilmekte olan disiplinlerarası çalışmaların, Anadolu ve Önasya kültür tarihinin yorumlanmasına temel oluşturacak şekilde bir arada sunulma arzusu bu kitabın ana çıkış noktasını oluşturmuştur. Elinizdeki bu çalışma bir yandan son dönemde yeni bir anlayışla değerlendirilen sonuçların ilk kez geniş bir kitlela paylaşılacağı bir durum tespiti sunmakta, diğer yandan ise arkeolojinin, antik dönem kültürlerinin rekonstrüksiyonu konusundaki imkan ve sınırlarını göstererk yeni araştırma konularını işaret etmektedir. Öğrenciler ve bilim insanlarının yanı sıra konuya ilgi duyan diğer okuyuculara da aynı oranda hitap ederek sağlam temellere dayanan genel bir fikir sağlamak ve çeşitli araştırma sonuçlarını bir arada sunmak bu çalışmanın birincil hedefidir.
http://www.homerbooks.com/item/3808-1320617/hattusa%20-%20efsanevi%20hitit%20imparatorlugu-nun%20izinde

Inhalt: A. Schachner, Ausgrabungen und Untersuchungen an Yenicekale in der südwestlichen Oberstad... more Inhalt:
A. Schachner, Ausgrabungen und Untersuchungen an Yenicekale in der südwestlichen Oberstadt von Boğazköy-Ḫattuša (2006–2008)

D. Hollenstein – G. Middea, The Faunal Remains from the Square Building Horizon in the Valley West of Sarıkale, Boğazköy-Ḫattuša, Turkey (16th/15th Century BC)

Zwischen 2007 und 2009 wurde auf einem strategisch günstigen Plateau in der Oberstadt der hethiti... more Zwischen 2007 und 2009 wurde auf einem strategisch günstigen Plateau in der Oberstadt der hethitischen Hauptstadt Hattusa ein Gebäude freigelegt, das wohl als Residenz des Kommandanten der königlichen Leibgarde zu identifizieren ist. Die Architektur und Funde ermöglichen Einblicke in das Leben der hethitischen Eliten. Byzantinische Befunde sprechen dafür, dass das Dorf des 10. Jhs. n. Chr. größer war und überregionale Kontakte bestanden.

Mit diesem Band liegt der erste Abschlussbericht über die Arbeiten in der westlichen Oberstadt vo... more Mit diesem Band liegt der erste Abschlussbericht über die Arbeiten in der westlichen Oberstadt von Hattuša vor. Die Oberstadt von Hattuša, die seit der 2. Hälfte des 16. Jhs. v. Chr. die Siedlungsfläche der Stadt nahezu verdoppelt hat, ist durch öffentliche Bauten unterschiedlichster Funktionen geprägt. Um den urbanen Zusammenhang in seiner Gesamtheit zu erfassen, konzentrierten sich zwischen 2002 und 2009 Ausgrabungen, geophysikalische Surveys und architekturhistorische Untersuchungen auf die Talsenke westlich von Sarikale und die diese umgebenden, bebauten Felsen in der westlichen Oberstadt. Im ersten Teil der vorliegenden Publikation werden die Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen an der Felsenanlage von Yenicekale vorgelegt. Dieses monumentale Bauwerk dominiert durch seine herausragende Lage den westlichen Teil der Oberstadt der hethitischen Hauptstadt. Das Gebäude wird erstmals in einer angemessenen Art und Weise der Fachwelt zugänglich gemacht. Neben herkömmlichen archäologischen Methoden erbrachte die interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit mit Geologen weiterführende Einblicke in die Arbeitsabläufe zur Errichtung der Anlage. Es gelingt unseres Wissens nach erstmals, den Weg eines Steins vom Steinbruch bis zum fertigen Gebäude am Bespiel eines spätbronzezeitlichen Bauwerks nachzuzeichnen. Diese Untersuchungen erschließen eine der am besten erhaltenen Felsanlagen im Stadtgebiet. Sie lassen den Schluß zu, daß es sich wahrscheinlich um ein dem Ahnenkult dienendes Gebäude - möglicherweise ein NA4hegur - handelte, daß vermutlich zwischen dem späten 16. und dem frühen 13. Jh. v. Chr. genutzt wurde. Im zweiten Teil des Buchs werden die Tierknochenfunden der ältesten Bauschicht im Tal vor Sarikale vorgelegt. Diese Bauschicht datiert in die zweite Hälfte des 16. Jhs. v. Chr. und ist durch die regelmäßige Architektur der sogenannten Quadrathäuser charakterisiert. Die Studie setzt die lange Tradition der naturwissenschaftlichen Arbeiten in Bogazköy fort. Erstmals konzentrieren sich die Überlegungen auf einen gut stratifizierten und datierten Befund aus dem 16. Jahrhundert v. Chr., so daß Einblicke in die Nutzungsweisen dieser Gebäude aus einem für die hethitische Geschichte wesentlichen Zeitraum möglich werden. Obwohl die Ergebnisse nur einen Ausschnitt der hethitischen Geschichte erhellen, vermitteln sie einen Eindruck von der Nutzung der Tiere als wichtigem wirtschaftlichem Faktor in einer Zeit wesentlichen Wandels und Veränderungen im hethitischen Staatswesen.

here you can learn more about the most recent publication of the Bogazköy Excavation Project:
https://www.dainst.org/-/bogazkoy-hattusa-ergebnisse-der-ausgrabungen

for the contents see:
https://www.dainst.org/documents/10180/97180/BoHa+24+Inhaltsverzeichnis.pdf/618d830f-4cf9-4ff6-afcc-22d45191a4eb

the page of the publisher:
http://www.degruyter.com/view/product/468768

Papers on Bogazköy / Hittites by Andreas Schachner

The geography of northern Central Anatolia, the heartland of the Hittite Empire, is characterized... more The geography of northern Central Anatolia, the heartland of the Hittite Empire, is characterized by agreat heterogeneity of topography, geologyand climate. Thisl eadst oacorrespondingly large diversity of anthropogenic lifestyles and economical strategies adapted to the particular regional conditions. In this chapter, this diversification is presented as the background of cultural development and its manifestations. Based on evidence from Boğazköy and Kuşaklı, it shows how Hittite society dealt with the obstacles of the natural habitat and argues for as tronger consideration of Hittite culture against the background of these regional patterns.

Since the beginning of the study of H ttite culture, architecture has played a central role. Whil... more Since the beginning of the study of H ttite culture, architecture has played a central role. While the focus has long been on a typological-descriptive approach to inventory the findings, the potential for understanding the development of social structures has long remained untapped. The changes in the built environment show how the establishment of the Hittite dynasty brought about changes in social organization and economic processes in Central Anatolia. This is particularly visible in the introduction of new and indigenous ground plans, which codified the social behaviors associated with them far beyond their formative phase, thus contributing significantly to identity formation and the creation of social cohesion. Thus, the findings demonstrate the function of state-sponsored Hittite architecture within the framework of the state's exercise of power. However, it is noteworthy that Hittite state culture and architecture was apparently unable to fundamentally change the longue durée of cultural development in Central Anatolia. For this was molded by geography and thus offered limited possibilities for change.

e-Forschungsberichte, 2024

As part of the interdisciplinary research project into the Hittite capital of Hattuša, various di... more As part of the interdisciplinary research project into the Hittite capital of Hattuša, various digital methods have been used since 2014 in cooperation with Italian universities for the three-dimensional documentation of large-format inscriptions and sculptures, extensive architectural ensembles and complex topographical terrains. Only this approach has made it possible to understand monuments that were previously difficult to interpret (e.g. the inscription of Nişantepe, the hieroglyphic inscriptions of Yerkapı or parts of Yazılıkaya) as well as complex geographical structures (e.g., the Budaközü Canyon) in their overall context in such a way that, in addition to the interpretation of the individual monument, the relationship between anthropogenic activity and topographical conditions becomes recognizable.

e-Forschungsberichte, 2024

Archäologischer Anzeiger, 2024

The continuation of the research on Büyükkale’s Northwest Slope (BK-NWH), on the Büyükkale and on... more The continuation of the research on Büyükkale’s Northwest Slope (BK-NWH), on the Büyükkale and on the western slope of the Upper Town has yielded significant new results relating to the Hittite period. The development of the Upper City now appears to be a fluid process that very probably began in the first half of the 16ᵗʰ century B.C. (contribution by M. Gruber § 129–153). We were able to gain insights into the Hittite period on the Büyükkale Northwest Slope (contribution A. Schachner § 2–96), in the
poterne of Yerkapı (contributions by M. Marazzi – N. Bolatti-Guzzo, and L. Repola – V. Morra § 159–194) and on the Büyükkale (contribution by J. Becker § 97–128). The excavations on the western slope of the upper town not only confirm that this part of the city was settled in the 16ᵗʰ century B.C., but also provide strong evidence that this process began earlier than previously assumed and continued dynamically throughout the entire century. On Büyükkale, substantial remains of the Hittite Empire period are becoming increasingly apparent, which profoundly change the appearance of the Hittite royal castle. In the poterne of Yerkapı, open questions regarding the painted Anatolian hieroglyphs could be clarified, which, in turn, provide clues to the Hittite understanding of the city’s topography. For the first time in several decades, the research at the Büyükkale Northwest Slope has provided well-dated contexts for the discovery of a spectacular bone inlay, which, in addition to contributing to our understanding of the development in Ḫattuša, provides rare insights into the supra-regional relationships of this period. Also, at the Büyükkale Northwest Slope, a text was found in connection with a building of the late Hittite Great Kingdom period, through which the previously unknown Indo-European language of Kalašma could be reconstructed. A second focus of the work relates to research into the 1ˢᵗ millennium B.C. layers on the Büyükkale and the Büyükkale Northwest Slope. At Büyükkale, a detailed stratigraphic investigation of the sequence of building layers from the Middle and Late Iron Age allows for a check of the sequence proposed several decades ago. At the Büyükkale Northwest Slope, not only was it possible to document an Early Iron Age settlement for the first time outside Büyükkaya, but a shift in the settlement from the Middle to the Late Iron Age up the slope can also be seen. This is all the more remarkable given that in the subsequent Hellenistic-Galatian period the settlement was again located in the area of the Middle Iron Age. These changes in the choice of settlement site within a defined geographical area are structurall corresponding to similar developments in the Bronze Age. For the first time it is possible to identify such processes in antiquity that are otherwise only documented for the Ottoman period in Central Anatolia.

Anatolian Studies 74, 2024

The intense use of scientific dating over the last three decades makes it possible for the first ... more The intense use of scientific dating over the last three decades makes it possible for the first time reasonably to connect the topographically diverse parts of the Hittite capital Ḫattuša. Not only was the decision to found a city at this site based on pre-Hittite parameters, but at the same time, it also becomes clear that the settlement is one of the very few in Anatolia which was continuously used from the end of the third millennium BC through the second millennium until the beginning of the Iron Age. Furthermore, the accumulation of radiocarbon dates in individual, archaeologically intensively studied areas of the site makes it now possible to understand the development as a dynamic and fluent process. Based on the results outlined here, permanent moves back and forth of the settled areas within a geographically defined space can be reconstructed. The Hittite city of Ḫattuša was always a construction site. Next to densely built-up districts there existed at all times large expanses of either ruins of buildings or of open spaces, which could have been used as pasture or arable land. The settlement’s map, regularly reproduced as its overall plan, thus represents a status reconstructed or idealised by modern research. Most probably the settlement was at no time occupied to this extent, and accordingly never looked like this in its history.

Archäologischer Anzeiger, 2023

The Excavations at Boğazköy-Ḫattuša in 2022 The 2022 campaign marks a transition to new areas of ... more The Excavations at Boğazköy-Ḫattuša in 2022
The 2022 campaign marks a transition to new areas of exploration in Boğazköy. On the one hand, the excavations of Bronze Age contexts in the northern Lower City were largely completed (contribution A. Schachner). The same applies to the northern fortifications of the Roman military camp (contribution D. Krüger). On the other hand, new research questions are addressed with excavations on the middle Büyükkale northwest slope (contribution A. Schachner), the Büyükkale (contribution J. Becker – A. Schachner) and the west slope of the Upper City (contribution M. Gruber). An unexpected surprise was the discovery of inscriptions of Anatolian hieroglyphs painted on the walls of the postern under Yerkapı (contribution L. Repola – M. Marazzi – N. Bolatti Guzzo – M. Alparslan – A. Schachner – B. Genç). Restoration activities focused on the completion of the work on the southern gate of the so-called Abschnittsmauer, the residential buildings in the Lower City, the pithoi in the northwestern depots of the Great Temple, and Building E on Büyükkale.

The so-called Great Temple and the monumental buildings in its vicinity are the most emblematic s... more The so-called Great Temple and the monumental buildings in its vicinity are the most emblematic structures in the Hittite capital Ḫattuša. It is one of the best-preserved ensembles of monumental Hittite architecture, which stands par excellence for Hittite culture in Central Anatolia and is today visited by all visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The edifices were investigated in several stages between 1907 and 1969 so that the history of research into this extensive Bronze Age settlement is reflected in an exemplary way in the changing development of the excavations and their reappraisal. The differentiated presentation of all buildings creates, for the first time, a sound basis for including these buildings in modern research questions of archaeology as well as cultural and architectural history. The work results not only in changes in the evaluation of the spatial structures and their functions but especially in the solution to the question of when this ensemble was founded. The construction of these buildings already in the formative phase of the Hittite empire can be associated with politically and socially indicated religious developments and with the urban transformation of Ḫattuša from an Anatolian city to the religious and political center of an ancient Near Eastern empire.

Der sogenannte Große Tempel und die monumentale Bebauung in seinem Umfeld sind die prägenden Bauten in der hethitischen Hauptstadt Ḫattuša. Es handelt sich um eines der am besten erhaltenen Ensembles monumentaler hethitischer Architektur, das par excellence für die hethitische Kultur in Zentralanatolien steht und heute von allen Besuchern der UNESCO-Weltkulturerbestätte besichtigt wird. Die Bauwerke wurden in mehreren Etappen zwischen 1907 und 1969 zwar untersucht, aber nie im Detail vorgelegt. In der wechselvollen Entwicklung der Grabungen und deren Aufarbeitung spiegelt sich die Geschichte der Erforschung der bronzezeitlichen Großsiedlung exemplarisch. Die differenzierte Vorlage sämtlicher Baubefunde schafft nun erstmals eine fundierte Grundlage dafür, diese Gebäude in moderne Forschungsfragen der Archäologie sowie der Kultur- und Architekturgeschichte einzubeziehen. Aus den Arbeiten ergeben sich nicht nur Veränderungen in der Bewertung der Raumstrukturen und deren Funktionen, sondern insbesondere für die Frage, wann dieses Ensemble gegründet wurde. Die Errichtung dieser Bauwerke bereits in der Entstehungsphase des hethitischen Großreichs lässt sich mit politisch und gesellschaftlich indizierten religiösen Entwicklungen ebenso verbinden wie mit der städtebaulichen Umgestaltung Ḫattušas von einer anatolischen Stadt zum religiösen und politischen Zentrum eines altorientalischen Großreichs.

https://reichert-verlag.de/schlagworte/altertumswissenschaften_schlagwort/9783752008036_ausgrabungen_in_der_unterstadt_von_bogazkoey_ii-detail

https://zenon.dainst.org/Record/003081468
https://publications.dainst.org/books/dai/catalog/book/2112

Die spät-chalkolithischen Siedlungsschichten in Giricano vermitteln einen ununterbrochenen Überbl... more Die spät-chalkolithischen Siedlungsschichten in Giricano vermitteln einen ununterbrochenen Überblick über die kulturelle Entwicklung im Tal des Oberen Tigris von der Obed-Zeit bis in die erste Hälfte des 3. Jahrtausends v. Chr. Die materielle Kultur der noch in der Phase Late-Chalcolithic (LC) 1 gegründeten Siedlung zeigt, dass die bisher hauptsächlich im heutigen Nordirak dokumentierte Kultur bis zum Fuß des Taurus reichte. Kurz vor der Wende vom 4. zum 3. Jahrtausend v. Chr. erreichte die Siedlung in der Phase LC 5 den Höhepunkt ihrer Entwicklung. Dieser ist durch ein monumentales Gebäude dokumentiert, das wahrscheinlich durch ein Erdbeben zerstört wurde. Eine Nachbesiedlung in der so genannten Nineveh 5-Periode ist wesentlich kleiner, bevor der Fundort aufgegeben wurde. Die Darstellung folgt der Entwicklung der Architektur, der Keramik und der Kleinfunde. Sie wird durch eine Diskussion der Integration der Siedlung in die überregionale Kulturentwicklung ergänzt.

Andreas Schachner is a member of the research staff of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (DAI), responsible for Near Eastern Archaeology, since 2005. He completed his studies at the University of Munich in 1993, and obtained his PhD from Munich in 1999, followed by the Habilitation in 2005. As of 2006, Schachner is the director of the long-term project “The Excavations of Hattusha” on behalf of the DAI. Before attending the DAI Schachner conducted excavations at Giricano between 2000 and 2003 as part of a joint effort by the University of Munich and the Diyarbakır Archaeological Museum as well as archaeological and epigraphical surveys at the Tigris Tunnel (2004). Schachner is a corresponding member of the DAI, the Turkish Institute for Ancient Studies and an adjunct Professor at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg.

for further informations cf.: http://www.brepols.net/Pages/ShowProduct.aspx?prod_id=IS-9782503575360-1

Hattuşa 100 yılı aşkın bir süredir gerçekleştirilmekte olan disiplinlerarası çalışmaların, Anadol... more Hattuşa 100 yılı aşkın bir süredir gerçekleştirilmekte olan disiplinlerarası çalışmaların, Anadolu ve Önasya kültür tarihinin yorumlanmasına temel oluşturacak şekilde bir arada sunulma arzusu bu kitabın ana çıkış noktasını oluşturmuştur. Elinizdeki bu çalışma bir yandan son dönemde yeni bir anlayışla değerlendirilen sonuçların ilk kez geniş bir kitlela paylaşılacağı bir durum tespiti sunmakta, diğer yandan ise arkeolojinin, antik dönem kültürlerinin rekonstrüksiyonu konusundaki imkan ve sınırlarını göstererk yeni araştırma konularını işaret etmektedir. Öğrenciler ve bilim insanlarının yanı sıra konuya ilgi duyan diğer okuyuculara da aynı oranda hitap ederek sağlam temellere dayanan genel bir fikir sağlamak ve çeşitli araştırma sonuçlarını bir arada sunmak bu çalışmanın birincil hedefidir.
http://www.homerbooks.com/item/3808-1320617/hattusa%20-%20efsanevi%20hitit%20imparatorlugu-nun%20izinde

Inhalt: A. Schachner, Ausgrabungen und Untersuchungen an Yenicekale in der südwestlichen Oberstad... more Inhalt:
A. Schachner, Ausgrabungen und Untersuchungen an Yenicekale in der südwestlichen Oberstadt von Boğazköy-Ḫattuša (2006–2008)

D. Hollenstein – G. Middea, The Faunal Remains from the Square Building Horizon in the Valley West of Sarıkale, Boğazköy-Ḫattuša, Turkey (16th/15th Century BC)

Zwischen 2007 und 2009 wurde auf einem strategisch günstigen Plateau in der Oberstadt der hethiti... more Zwischen 2007 und 2009 wurde auf einem strategisch günstigen Plateau in der Oberstadt der hethitischen Hauptstadt Hattusa ein Gebäude freigelegt, das wohl als Residenz des Kommandanten der königlichen Leibgarde zu identifizieren ist. Die Architektur und Funde ermöglichen Einblicke in das Leben der hethitischen Eliten. Byzantinische Befunde sprechen dafür, dass das Dorf des 10. Jhs. n. Chr. größer war und überregionale Kontakte bestanden.

Mit diesem Band liegt der erste Abschlussbericht über die Arbeiten in der westlichen Oberstadt vo... more Mit diesem Band liegt der erste Abschlussbericht über die Arbeiten in der westlichen Oberstadt von Hattuša vor. Die Oberstadt von Hattuša, die seit der 2. Hälfte des 16. Jhs. v. Chr. die Siedlungsfläche der Stadt nahezu verdoppelt hat, ist durch öffentliche Bauten unterschiedlichster Funktionen geprägt. Um den urbanen Zusammenhang in seiner Gesamtheit zu erfassen, konzentrierten sich zwischen 2002 und 2009 Ausgrabungen, geophysikalische Surveys und architekturhistorische Untersuchungen auf die Talsenke westlich von Sarikale und die diese umgebenden, bebauten Felsen in der westlichen Oberstadt. Im ersten Teil der vorliegenden Publikation werden die Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen an der Felsenanlage von Yenicekale vorgelegt. Dieses monumentale Bauwerk dominiert durch seine herausragende Lage den westlichen Teil der Oberstadt der hethitischen Hauptstadt. Das Gebäude wird erstmals in einer angemessenen Art und Weise der Fachwelt zugänglich gemacht. Neben herkömmlichen archäologischen Methoden erbrachte die interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit mit Geologen weiterführende Einblicke in die Arbeitsabläufe zur Errichtung der Anlage. Es gelingt unseres Wissens nach erstmals, den Weg eines Steins vom Steinbruch bis zum fertigen Gebäude am Bespiel eines spätbronzezeitlichen Bauwerks nachzuzeichnen. Diese Untersuchungen erschließen eine der am besten erhaltenen Felsanlagen im Stadtgebiet. Sie lassen den Schluß zu, daß es sich wahrscheinlich um ein dem Ahnenkult dienendes Gebäude - möglicherweise ein NA4hegur - handelte, daß vermutlich zwischen dem späten 16. und dem frühen 13. Jh. v. Chr. genutzt wurde. Im zweiten Teil des Buchs werden die Tierknochenfunden der ältesten Bauschicht im Tal vor Sarikale vorgelegt. Diese Bauschicht datiert in die zweite Hälfte des 16. Jhs. v. Chr. und ist durch die regelmäßige Architektur der sogenannten Quadrathäuser charakterisiert. Die Studie setzt die lange Tradition der naturwissenschaftlichen Arbeiten in Bogazköy fort. Erstmals konzentrieren sich die Überlegungen auf einen gut stratifizierten und datierten Befund aus dem 16. Jahrhundert v. Chr., so daß Einblicke in die Nutzungsweisen dieser Gebäude aus einem für die hethitische Geschichte wesentlichen Zeitraum möglich werden. Obwohl die Ergebnisse nur einen Ausschnitt der hethitischen Geschichte erhellen, vermitteln sie einen Eindruck von der Nutzung der Tiere als wichtigem wirtschaftlichem Faktor in einer Zeit wesentlichen Wandels und Veränderungen im hethitischen Staatswesen.

here you can learn more about the most recent publication of the Bogazköy Excavation Project:
https://www.dainst.org/-/bogazkoy-hattusa-ergebnisse-der-ausgrabungen

for the contents see:
https://www.dainst.org/documents/10180/97180/BoHa+24+Inhaltsverzeichnis.pdf/618d830f-4cf9-4ff6-afcc-22d45191a4eb

the page of the publisher:
http://www.degruyter.com/view/product/468768

The geography of northern Central Anatolia, the heartland of the Hittite Empire, is characterized... more The geography of northern Central Anatolia, the heartland of the Hittite Empire, is characterized by agreat heterogeneity of topography, geologyand climate. Thisl eadst oacorrespondingly large diversity of anthropogenic lifestyles and economical strategies adapted to the particular regional conditions. In this chapter, this diversification is presented as the background of cultural development and its manifestations. Based on evidence from Boğazköy and Kuşaklı, it shows how Hittite society dealt with the obstacles of the natural habitat and argues for as tronger consideration of Hittite culture against the background of these regional patterns.

Since the beginning of the study of H ttite culture, architecture has played a central role. Whil... more Since the beginning of the study of H ttite culture, architecture has played a central role. While the focus has long been on a typological-descriptive approach to inventory the findings, the potential for understanding the development of social structures has long remained untapped. The changes in the built environment show how the establishment of the Hittite dynasty brought about changes in social organization and economic processes in Central Anatolia. This is particularly visible in the introduction of new and indigenous ground plans, which codified the social behaviors associated with them far beyond their formative phase, thus contributing significantly to identity formation and the creation of social cohesion. Thus, the findings demonstrate the function of state-sponsored Hittite architecture within the framework of the state's exercise of power. However, it is noteworthy that Hittite state culture and architecture was apparently unable to fundamentally change the longue durée of cultural development in Central Anatolia. For this was molded by geography and thus offered limited possibilities for change.

e-Forschungsberichte, 2024

As part of the interdisciplinary research project into the Hittite capital of Hattuša, various di... more As part of the interdisciplinary research project into the Hittite capital of Hattuša, various digital methods have been used since 2014 in cooperation with Italian universities for the three-dimensional documentation of large-format inscriptions and sculptures, extensive architectural ensembles and complex topographical terrains. Only this approach has made it possible to understand monuments that were previously difficult to interpret (e.g. the inscription of Nişantepe, the hieroglyphic inscriptions of Yerkapı or parts of Yazılıkaya) as well as complex geographical structures (e.g., the Budaközü Canyon) in their overall context in such a way that, in addition to the interpretation of the individual monument, the relationship between anthropogenic activity and topographical conditions becomes recognizable.

e-Forschungsberichte, 2024

Archäologischer Anzeiger, 2024

The continuation of the research on Büyükkale’s Northwest Slope (BK-NWH), on the Büyükkale and on... more The continuation of the research on Büyükkale’s Northwest Slope (BK-NWH), on the Büyükkale and on the western slope of the Upper Town has yielded significant new results relating to the Hittite period. The development of the Upper City now appears to be a fluid process that very probably began in the first half of the 16ᵗʰ century B.C. (contribution by M. Gruber § 129–153). We were able to gain insights into the Hittite period on the Büyükkale Northwest Slope (contribution A. Schachner § 2–96), in the
poterne of Yerkapı (contributions by M. Marazzi – N. Bolatti-Guzzo, and L. Repola – V. Morra § 159–194) and on the Büyükkale (contribution by J. Becker § 97–128). The excavations on the western slope of the upper town not only confirm that this part of the city was settled in the 16ᵗʰ century B.C., but also provide strong evidence that this process began earlier than previously assumed and continued dynamically throughout the entire century. On Büyükkale, substantial remains of the Hittite Empire period are becoming increasingly apparent, which profoundly change the appearance of the Hittite royal castle. In the poterne of Yerkapı, open questions regarding the painted Anatolian hieroglyphs could be clarified, which, in turn, provide clues to the Hittite understanding of the city’s topography. For the first time in several decades, the research at the Büyükkale Northwest Slope has provided well-dated contexts for the discovery of a spectacular bone inlay, which, in addition to contributing to our understanding of the development in Ḫattuša, provides rare insights into the supra-regional relationships of this period. Also, at the Büyükkale Northwest Slope, a text was found in connection with a building of the late Hittite Great Kingdom period, through which the previously unknown Indo-European language of Kalašma could be reconstructed. A second focus of the work relates to research into the 1ˢᵗ millennium B.C. layers on the Büyükkale and the Büyükkale Northwest Slope. At Büyükkale, a detailed stratigraphic investigation of the sequence of building layers from the Middle and Late Iron Age allows for a check of the sequence proposed several decades ago. At the Büyükkale Northwest Slope, not only was it possible to document an Early Iron Age settlement for the first time outside Büyükkaya, but a shift in the settlement from the Middle to the Late Iron Age up the slope can also be seen. This is all the more remarkable given that in the subsequent Hellenistic-Galatian period the settlement was again located in the area of the Middle Iron Age. These changes in the choice of settlement site within a defined geographical area are structurall corresponding to similar developments in the Bronze Age. For the first time it is possible to identify such processes in antiquity that are otherwise only documented for the Ottoman period in Central Anatolia.

Anatolian Studies 74, 2024

The intense use of scientific dating over the last three decades makes it possible for the first ... more The intense use of scientific dating over the last three decades makes it possible for the first time reasonably to connect the topographically diverse parts of the Hittite capital Ḫattuša. Not only was the decision to found a city at this site based on pre-Hittite parameters, but at the same time, it also becomes clear that the settlement is one of the very few in Anatolia which was continuously used from the end of the third millennium BC through the second millennium until the beginning of the Iron Age. Furthermore, the accumulation of radiocarbon dates in individual, archaeologically intensively studied areas of the site makes it now possible to understand the development as a dynamic and fluent process. Based on the results outlined here, permanent moves back and forth of the settled areas within a geographically defined space can be reconstructed. The Hittite city of Ḫattuša was always a construction site. Next to densely built-up districts there existed at all times large expanses of either ruins of buildings or of open spaces, which could have been used as pasture or arable land. The settlement’s map, regularly reproduced as its overall plan, thus represents a status reconstructed or idealised by modern research. Most probably the settlement was at no time occupied to this extent, and accordingly never looked like this in its history.

Archäologischer Anzeiger, 2023

The Excavations at Boğazköy-Ḫattuša in 2022 The 2022 campaign marks a transition to new areas of ... more The Excavations at Boğazköy-Ḫattuša in 2022
The 2022 campaign marks a transition to new areas of exploration in Boğazköy. On the one hand, the excavations of Bronze Age contexts in the northern Lower City were largely completed (contribution A. Schachner). The same applies to the northern fortifications of the Roman military camp (contribution D. Krüger). On the other hand, new research questions are addressed with excavations on the middle Büyükkale northwest slope (contribution A. Schachner), the Büyükkale (contribution J. Becker – A. Schachner) and the west slope of the Upper City (contribution M. Gruber). An unexpected surprise was the discovery of inscriptions of Anatolian hieroglyphs painted on the walls of the postern under Yerkapı (contribution L. Repola – M. Marazzi – N. Bolatti Guzzo – M. Alparslan – A. Schachner – B. Genç). Restoration activities focused on the completion of the work on the southern gate of the so-called Abschnittsmauer, the residential buildings in the Lower City, the pithoi in the northwestern depots of the Great Temple, and Building E on Büyükkale.

Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient Gesellschaft, 2022

Chance finds during securing measures (2014-2015) and work on the northwestern foot (2018-2019) s... more Chance finds during securing measures (2014-2015) and work on the northwestern foot (2018-2019) surprisingly yielded evidence of previously unknown building layers on the Büyükkale Plateau at Bogazköy-Hattuša, which was investigated in stages between 1906 and 1966. Based on this, systematic excavations were carried out in the upper castle courtyard in the summer/autumn of 2021. They confirm that larger areas to both the northwest and south of the castle rock as well as the royal castle lying on it must be considered largely unexplored. For the area of the upper castle courtyard, both layers of the Hittite Great Kingdom Period (Büyükkale III) as well as and overlying ones of the Late Iron Age (Büyükkale I) were unearthed to the north of the Hittite audience hall (Building D) and to the east of Building E. The excavations also revealed the presence of a large number of other layers from the Late Iron Age. Thus, for the Late Iron Age (Büyükkale I), the west wing of a palatial building was uncovered as part of a dense sequence of buildings, which, together with the old excavations, has no equal in contemporary Central Anatolia. Underneath, foundations were recorded for the Hittite Great Kingdom period (Büyükkale III), which probably formed part of a presumed passage to the northwest terrace with buildings E and F. In particular, the current work has made it clear that intervening, supposed "rubble heaps" primarily represent the original, former mound surface, as they already existed in the times of Th. Makridi and H. Winckler, but had not been investigated in detail until now. This opens up new perspectives, especially since the chronological and structural development of other urban areas of Boğazköy-Ḫattuša has chan

Archäologischer Anzeiger, 2022

The work in the northern Lower City further condenses the picture of the Hittite and Roman phases... more The work in the northern Lower City further condenses the picture of the Hittite and Roman phases of use. On the one hand, it has become clear that the small-scale Hittite structures continue to the east and south on the terrace. On the other hand, in the north of the area, what is possibly the entrance to the bath building of the Roman imperial period from the north, i. e. from the military camp, has been clarified as well as further rooms of the building. Excavations that became necessary on the Büyükkale in parallel with the restoration of Building E not only uncovered previously unknown areas of the Late Iron Age architecture, but surprisingly yielded remains of a Hittite building that possibly constitutes the connection between Building E and the northern courtyard of the Hittite palace. Radiocarbon datings found in the archives of the Boğazköy excavation as well as new radiocarbon samples obtained during the excavations further consolidate the picture of the chronological development of the Hittite as well as the Iron Age period of use in the Lower City and on Büyükkale.

Die Arbeiten in der nördlichen Unterstadt verdichten das Bild der hethitischen und der römischen Nutzungsphasen weiter. Dabei wird einerseits deutlich, dass sich die kleinteilige hethitische Bebauung nach Osten und Süden auf der Terrasse fortsetzt. Andererseits konnten im Norden des Areals möglicherweise der Eingang zu der kaiserzeitlichen Therme von Norden, d. h. vom Militärlager aus, ebenso geklärt werden wie weitere Räume des Gebäudes. Grabungen, die auf der Büyükkale parallel zur Restaurierung des Gebäudes E notwendig wurden, legten nicht nur bisher unbekannte Bereiche der späteisenzeitlichen Bebauung frei, sondern erbrachten überraschenderweise Reste eines hethitischen Gebäudes, das möglicherweise die Verbindung zwischen dem Gebäude E und dem nördlichen Hof darstellt. Im Archiv der Boğazköy-Grabung aufgefundene und in den Grabungen neu gewonnene Radiokarbondatierungen verdichten das Bild der chronologischen Entwicklung der hethitischen ebenso wie der eisenzeitlichen Nutzungsperiode in der Unterstadt und auf der Büyükkale.

e-Forschungsberichte des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, 2022

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, 2022

The socle stones of the Great Temple in the Lower City of the Hittite capital city, Hattusha (Çor... more The socle stones of the Great Temple in the Lower City of the Hittite capital city, Hattusha (Çorum Province) have been studied for the first time by petrographic and geochemical analysis (Sr isotope, stable isotope, and trace element geochemistry). Study objectives were to determine the carbonate facies of the stone samples used in the Great Temple and investigate their possible sources. Petrographic analysis of 10 limestone samples presents five clusters of different microfacies. Stable isotope (δ 13 C and δ 18 O) analysis displayed the presence of 5 groups in parallel with petrographic analysis. Trace element analysis of the same groups displayed considerable difference among the stone samples and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotope ratios change between 0.70697 and 0.706867. Based on the results, it can be stated that the building using stones are from probably five different sources. This is of great importance to better understand the construction process and the acquisition of the building materials.

Download at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/earth/vol31/iss3/4

Ägyptische Kulte und ihre Heiligtümer im Osten des Römischen Reiches (2005) BYZAS 2 Clemens Licht... more Ägyptische Kulte und ihre Heiligtümer im Osten des Römischen Reiches (2005) BYZAS 2 Clemens Lichter (ed.) How Did Farming Reach Europe? Anatolian-European relations from the second half of the 7 th through the first half of the 6 th millennium cal BC.

L'immagine del frontespizio è tratta da Marcella Frangipane et al. in questo volume: "figurative ... more L'immagine del frontespizio è tratta da Marcella Frangipane et al. in questo volume: "figurative bas-reliefs from the destruction of Phase IIIA.2, Arslantepe".

Archäologischer Anzeiger, 2020

Alter Orient Aktuell 19, 2022

Between 1961 and 1963, K. Balkan explored the Urartian fortress of Aznavurtepe near Patnos, north... more Between 1961 and 1963, K. Balkan explored the Urartian fortress of Aznavurtepe near Patnos, north of Lake Van. The uncovering of a well-preserved temple of the god Haldi makes this site an important discovery site of the Urartian culture. For unknown reasons, no plans of the site or its architecture were published in the original reports, so it has not played a significant role in discussions of the architectural history of eastern Turkey. The fortuitous discovery in an archive of the DAI of plans of the architecture in Aznavurtepe now makes it possible to present this important building complex together with the results of recent surveys. -----____------ Van Gölü’nün kuzeyinde, Patnos’ta yer alan Aznavurtepe’deki Urartu kalesi, 1961 ile 1963 yılları arasında K. Balkan tarafından araştırılmıştır. Günümüze oldukça iyi durumda ulaşmış olan Haldi tapınağının da keşfiyle, burası Urartu kültürünün en önemli buluntu yeri haline gelir. Fakat o yıllarda yayımlanan bildirilerde, tapınak planına bilinmeyen nedenlerden dolayı yer verilmemiştir. Bu yüzden tapınak, Doğu Anadolu’nun mimari tarihinde bugüne dek önemli bir rol oynamamıştır. Aznavurtepe’deki mimari ile ilgili planların, Alman Arkeoloji Enstitüsü arşivinde rastlantı sonucu keşfedilmesi, bu önemli yapı kompleksini yeniden inceleme ve sonuçlarıyla birlikte sunmayı mümkün kılmaktadır.

Tarih ve Toplum, 19.112, 1993

e-Forschungsberichte, 2020

For two years an interdisciplinary team has been dedicated to the evaluation of the small part of... more For two years an interdisciplinary team has been dedicated to the evaluation of the small part of the finds of the German Oriental Society‘s excavations in Babylon before and during the First World War, which is store in the Archaeological Museums in Istanbul. Despite the fact that in most cases the findspots are almost impossible to clarify, the archaeological artefacts themselves provide unique insights into the chronological development and the cultural diversity of one of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East; especially since the material culture in its chronological and cultural diversity has so far contributed only very little to Babylon‘s interpretation.

ISBN 978-3-7749-3646-1 Ein Titeldatensatz ist bei der Deutschen Bibliothek erhältlich.

LoSAM Working Papers 2, 2019

Interdisciplinarity has experienced cyclical fluctuations. Even though it is currently gaining po... more Interdisciplinarity has experienced cyclical fluctuations. Even though it is currently gaining popularity again, the contours of the notion of interdisciplinarity often remain blurred. For a Research Unit that is adopting an interdisciplinary perspective it is therefore imperative to reach a consensus regarding the underlying concept and its implications. We therefore explain how the interdisciplinary setup and interconnectedness of the DFG Research Unit 2757 contribute to approaching a complex research agenda that lies beyond the scope of individual disciplines. To this end, we first elucidate the fundamental terms, theories and methods, developed and selected through interdisciplinary reflection, and present the basic ideas of our Research Unit. Furthermore, we describe the organizational structure and explain how the subprojects are connected both in terms of content and methodology. This allows us to more precisely define our understanding of interdisciplinary cooperation in the sense of networked research. We are thus aiming at an adequate interdisciplinary approach to our subject matter that allows us to shed light on the fundamental questions from different epistemological perspectives and thereby grasp them more comprehensively than would be possible from a purely disciplinary vantage point. Furthermore, we aspire to broaden and deepen our methodology by implementing and combining different subject-specific approaches. We thereby aim to achieve innovative results regarding theoretical and methodological aspects.

Hans-Joachim Lauth / Doris Fischer / Dominique Krüger / Christoph Mohamad-Klotzbach / Rene Pfeils... more Hans-Joachim Lauth / Doris Fischer / Dominique Krüger / Christoph Mohamad-Klotzbach / Rene Pfeilschifter / Eberhard Rothfuß / Andreas Schachner / Barbara Schmitz / Katja Werthmann, Interdisziplinarität. Eine Grundlegung zu Begriffen, Theorien und Methoden in einer geistes- und sozialwissenschaftlichen Forschungsgruppe, LoSAM Working Paper 2 (2019) 1-46

LoSAM Working Papers 1, 2019

The nucleus of statehood is situated at the local level: in the village, the neighborhood, the ci... more The nucleus of statehood is situated at the local level: in the village, the neighborhood, the city district. This is where a community, beyond the level of the family, first develops collective rules that are intended to ensure its continued existence. But usually this is not the only level of governance at play. Above it, there are supralocal formations of power, varying in scope from regional networks to empires, which supplement the local orders or compete with them. The premise of the research unit is that local forms of self-governance are especially heterogeneous and prominent, wherever supralocal statehood exists in the mode of weak permeation. The central question of our approach is how local forms of self-governance work in this context. We will examine the relations to the state level as well as to other local groups as they develop over time; the scope and spatial contingency of forms of self-governance; their legitimization and the interdependency with the organization and collective identity of those groups which carry them out; finally, we will turn our attention to the significance of self-governance for the configuration of weak statehood. The empirical focus will be at the local level, which has so far been largely neglected in the research on governance beyond the state. In order to achieve this, we will work with case studies that are structured by categories and situated in geographical areas and time periods that lie outside of modern Europe with its particular development of statehood since the Late Middle Ages: in Antiquity and in the Global South of the present. By incorporating these different time frames, we hope to contribute to overcoming the dichotomy between the modern and pre-modern era, which is often given canonical status. Our goal is a comparative analysis of different configurations of order as well as the
development of a typology of patterns of local governance. The structure of the empirical comparison itself promises methodological insights, since it will entail recognizing, dealing with, and overcoming disciplinary limitations. Starting with the identification of typical patterns and processes, we hope to get a better grasp of the mechanisms by which local configurations of order succeed, while at the same time advancing the theoretical debate. This will allow us to make an interdisciplinary contribution to the understanding of fundamental elements of statehood and local governance that are of central importance, especially in the context of weak statehood. The insights we hope to gain by adopting this historical perspective will contribute to understanding a present that is not based exclusively on its own, apparently completely new preconditions, and will thus significantly sharpen the political analysis of various forms of governance.

yeni bir TRT 2 belgeseli.

For copyright reasons I can not provide copies of some of the papers on academia.edu at this poin... more For copyright reasons I can not provide copies of some of the papers on academia.edu at this point.To request a copy of any of my papers listed here (except the books) please send me a message which should include your email address (please don't use the annoying "Request PDF" button which only asks for a document to be uploaded onto this site)

Since its massive expansion under Sultans Selim I (1512-20) and Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-... more Since its massive expansion under Sultans Selim I (1512-20) and Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-66), the Ottoman Empire extended from the Algerian shores to Georgia in the Caucasus and from Hungary in the heart of Europe to Yemen on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Albeit in a long decline thereafter, the core of this multi-cultural conglomerate survived into the early 20th century, before it finally disintegrated after World War I. Throughout these five centuries, the Ottomans deeply influenced these heterogeneous countries with at times closer or looser ties to the metropolis Constantinople, leaving a multi-faceted cartographic legacy behind.
The symposium is open to everyone with an interest in the cartography of the (former) Ottoman countries during, but not limited to, the 16th to 20th centuries. The symposium will focus on two main themes:

1. “Cartography of the Ottoman Countries in Europe, Asia and Africa”
2. “Mapping Archaeological Sites, Landscapes and Excavations in the Ottoman Empire in the 19th and 20th Centuries”

The venue of the 8th International Symposium on the History of Cartography will be the Library of the German Archaeological Institute in Istanbul in the heart of the city next to Taksim Square. To explore the city and its cartographic heritage, optional technical and social tours are planned.

For further information please contact either me or one of the colleagues mentioned in the advert... more For further information please contact either me or one of the colleagues mentioned in the advertisment.

This book contains studies on the symbolic significance of the landscape for the communities inha... more This book contains studies on the symbolic significance of the landscape for the communities inhabiting the central Anatolian plateau and the Upper Euphrates and Tigris valleys in the 2nd-1st millennia BC. Some of the scholars who attended to the international conference Sacred Landscapes of Hittites and Luwians held in Florence in February 2014, present here contributions on the religious, symbolic and social landscapes of Anatolia between the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age. Archaeologists, hittitologists and historians highlight how the ancient populations perceived many elements of the environment, like mountains, rivers and rocks, but also atmospheric agents, and natural phenomena as essential part of their religious and ideological world. Analysing landscapes, architectures and topographies built by the Anatolian communities in the second and first millennia BC, the framework of a symbolic construction intended for specific actions and practices clearly emerges.

Water Science & Technology: Water Supply, 2013

ABSTRACT From about 1650 until 1200 BC Hattuša (pronounced Hattusha) was the capital of the Hitti... more ABSTRACT From about 1650 until 1200 BC Hattuša (pronounced Hattusha) was the capital of the Hittite Empire in central Asia Minor. On the steep terrain of today’s ruined city lived and worked thousands of people whose homes, cattle, tools and places of worship had to be supplied with water. The question arose regarding how water was conveyed into the large-scale ponds in the urban area. The silted East Ponds (36,000 m 3 ) and South Ponds (20,000 m 3 ) have been excavated since the 1980s. A supply of the large volumes of water by a long pipeline from outside the city was repeatedly discussed. Due to the topographic, hydraulic and geo-hydrological conditions however, a long distance supply would have been uneconomic and also unnecessary. Still today, many willow fountains in the region are fed by artesian groundwater. It was therefore assumed that the ponds were cut into the slope aquifers and filled during the wet season. To verify this hypothesis, groundwater monitoring stations were installed in the autumn of 2009 directly uphill of the pond banks. Observed groundwater levels 2009–2011 are low in summer but rise above the former pond surfaces during winter. The Hittites used exfiltrating groundwater also in other reservoirs avoiding hefty and strongly varying surface inflows.

Journal of Cultural Heritage

Baghdader Mitteilungen, 2003

Archaologischer Anzeiger, 2010

Archaologischer Anzeiger, 2007

Istanbuler Mitteilungen, 2009

Studi Micenei Ed Egeo Anatolici, 2001

... | Ayuda. Das Kammergrab von Yurdçu/Naxçivan.Ein Beitrag zur Archäologie der Früheisenzeit Tra... more ... | Ayuda. Das Kammergrab von Yurdçu/Naxçivan.Ein Beitrag zur Archäologie der Früheisenzeit Transkaukasiens und Ostanatoliens. Autores: Von Veli Bahsaliyev, Andreas Schachner; Localización: Studi micenei ed egeo-anatolici, ISSN 1126-6651, Vol. 43, Nº 1, 2001 , pags. ...

Zeitschrift Fur Assyriologie Und Vorderasiatische Archaologie, 2002

1 Wir danken Frau Songül Ceylan Balan, Direktorin des Museums Mardin, und Anitlar ve Müzeler Gene... more 1 Wir danken Frau Songül Ceylan Balan, Direktorin des Museums Mardin, und Anitlar ve Müzeler Genel Müdürlügü (Ankara) für die Publikationserlaubnis, Dr. M. Gschwind und P. Bartl für ihre Mithilfe während der Dokumentation und Frau C. Wolff für die Umzeichnung der ...