Ground-breaking discoveries in Turkey shed light on how an ancient empire embraced diversity and inclusivity
Archaeological research in Turkey is uncovering fascinating insights into an ancient civilisation that used linguistics to promote multiculturalism and political stability. Ongoing excavations in the ruins of the ancient capital of the Hittite empire are revealing evidence that the imperial civil service had dedicated departments for researching the religions of subject peoples. The civil servants were instructed to record religious liturgies and traditions in the local languages of these subject peoples, preserving their cultural heritage and incorporating it into the empire’s inclusive religious system. This discovery is shedding new light on how early empires functioned and is rewriting our understanding of ancient history.
1: Multiculturalism in the Hittite Empire
The excavations in Turkey have unearthed around 30,000 clay tablet documents in the ancient Hittite capital of Hattusa. While the majority of these tablets were written in the empire’s main language, Hittite, around 5% of them were written in the languages of minority ethnic groups within the empire. These languages include Luwian, Palaians, Hattians, and Hurrians. The most recent discovery is a previously unknown language called Kalasmaic, which was spoken by a subject people in the empire’s northwestern fringe. This evidence suggests that even the most obscure languages within the empire were recorded, studied, and preserved in written form.
2: Linguistic Diversity in the Ancient Middle East
The Middle East, particularly the region that is now Turkey, was rich in linguistic diversity during ancient times. The topography of the area, with its mountains and isolated valley systems, allowed for the development and survival of numerous languages. While only five minority languages are currently known from the Bronze Age Hittite empire, the mountainous topography suggests there may have been at least 30. The Caucasus mountains region adjacent to the empire still boasts around 40 languages today. The Hittite language itself is the world’s oldest attested Indo-European tongue, with similarities to modern European and Asian languages.
3: Uncovering Ancient Languages through Excavations
The ongoing excavations in Turkey are providing linguistics experts with valuable insights into the evolution of ancient Bronze Age Indo-European languages, including the Hittite language. The discovery of additional clay tablet documents is expanding our knowledge of Bronze Age Middle Eastern history. The excavation team, led by Professor Andreas Schachner of the German Archaeological Institute in Istanbul, is working alongside paleo-linguists from Wurzburg and Istanbul universities to study the texts found on the clay tablets. The excavation site in Bogazkoy, the ancient Hittite capital, is particularly significant as it was the center of one of the world’s first large imperial political systems.
Conclusion:
The archaeological research in Turkey is revolutionizing our understanding of ancient history by revealing how an ancient empire embraced multiculturalism and preserved the languages and traditions of subject peoples. The discovery of previously unknown languages and the recording of diverse cultural practices on clay tablets highlight the inclusive nature of the Hittite civilization. These findings not only shed light on how early empires functioned but also contribute to our understanding of the evolution of languages and the impact of linguistic diversity on human history. The ongoing excavations in Turkey continue to provide valuable insights into the ancient world and challenge our preconceived notions of the past.
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