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| The Hattians and the Hittites even looked different. Egyptian depictions of the ] show long-nosed soldiers, while their leaders look different. A gold and silver statuette of a long-nosed Hattian woman can be seen in the ] in Ankara, Turkey. It was found in Hasanoğlan and it dates from the end of the third millennium BC. | The Hattians and the Hittites even looked different. Egyptian depictions of the ] show long-nosed soldiers, while their leaders look different. A gold and silver statuette of a long-nosed Hattian woman can be seen in the ] in Ankara, Turkey. It was found in Hasanoğlan and it dates from the end of the third millennium BC. | ||
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==References== | ||
| ] - The Hattian and Hittite Civilizations; Publications of the Republic of Turkey; Ministry of Culture; 2001; 300 pages; ISBN 975-17-2756-1 | ] - The Hattian and Hittite Civilizations; Publications of the Republic of Turkey; Ministry of Culture; 2001; 300 pages; ISBN 975-17-2756-1 | ||
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Revision as of 18:57, 15 September 2007
The Hattians were an ancient people who inhabited the land of Hatti in present-day central and southeastern parts of Anatolia, Asia Minor. The Hattian civilisation was situated between 2500 - 2000/1700 BC in the Middle Bronze Age.
As the Hattians didn't have a written language (in other words : they were proto-historic), one has to rely on indirect sources or statements by other peoples. Hattian leaders probably used scribes writing in Assyrian to conduct business with Mesopotamia.
The oldest name for Anatolia, "Land of the Hatti" was found for the first time on Mesopotamic cuneiform tablets from the period of the Akkadian dynasty (2350-2150 BC). On those tablets Assyrian traders implored the help of the Akkadian king Sargon. This appellation continued to exist for about 1500 years till 630 BC, as stated in Assyrian chronicles.
They spoke a non-Indo-European language of uncertain affiliation called Hattic (now believed by some to be related to the Northwest Caucasian language group). They eventually merged with or were replaced by the Hittites, who spoke the Indo-European Hittite language.
The Hattians may have been connected, in language and proximity, to the Khaldi/Kardu.
The use of the word "Proto-Hittite" instead of Hattians is inaccurate. This would imply that the Hittites evolved from the Hattians, which is completely false. The Hittites were an Indo-European people, ethnically and linguistically distinct from the Hattians. However, the term "Land of the Hatti" was so ingrained that the Hittites continued to use it when referring to their own country.
The Hattians were organised in city-states and small kingdoms. These cities were well organized and ruled as theocratic principalities. Even as they were taken over one by one by the conquering Hittites after 2200 BC, the Hattians continued to form the major portion of the population.
The influence of their culture was such that the Hittites took over much of their religion and mythology. The principal deities of the Hittites were adopted from the Hattian religion (the Sun Goddess, her husband the Storm God and their children Nerik and Zippalanda, their daughter Nezullash and their grandchild Zentish; and as well Telipinu, his wife Hatepinush, the goddesses Inaras and Zithariyas, Karzish and Hapantalliyash). The Hattian civilization also give rise to the Hittite legend of Illuyankas and Telepinu.
The Hattians and the Hittites even looked different. Egyptian depictions of the Battle of Kadesh show long-nosed soldiers, while their leaders look different. A gold and silver statuette of a long-nosed Hattian woman can be seen in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, Turkey. It was found in Hasanoğlan and it dates from the end of the third millennium BC.
References
Akurgal, Ekrem - The Hattian and Hittite Civilizations; Publications of the Republic of Turkey; Ministry of Culture; 2001; 300 pages; ISBN 975-17-2756-1