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"You Should Build for Eternity" New Light on the Hittite Architects and Their Work
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Ünal, Ahmet Naci |
| Copyright Year | 1988 |
| Abstract | The title of my paper' derives from a Hittite text.2 In another text the builders boast "to have used only the best quality of stone and timber" for their constructions.3 How many languages on earth can express such lofty and pretentious sentiments, and how many builders pursue such a high architectural goal? These expressions are in no way literary topoi. They are reflections of reality. This is clearly seen from the archaeological remains at Hittite cities, particularly at their capital Uattuga/Bogazk6y. Without exalting the proficiency of the Hittite architects too much, I only wish to say that the Hittites were the first and most proficient builders of monumental stone architecture in pre-Classical Asia Minor. Because of their exaggerated obsession with stone and crag, they have justly been designated as "petromaniacs." How is one to explain this? Perhaps the answer lies in the stony, rocky ground of Anatolia, the most accessible building material around. From the foundation rituals found in the archives at Uattuga we know that the Hittites learned much from their subjects, the Hattians, who were the indigenous people of Anatolia. We can also justly say "Hatti capta ferrum cepit et victorem artes docuit." There are ample archaeological remains from the Early Bronze Age which illustrate the early Hattic building tradition. Needless to say, the Hittites inherited this tradition, modified it, and "magnified" its size, proportions, and dimensions. This was, of course, commensurate with their military and imperial power. KUB 55.28, with its unpublished joining piece Bo 7740 from the Berlin Museum,4 certainly belongs to one of the most interesting texts published in recent years. It is a unique foundation ritual from the thirteenth century B.C., and sheds new light on Hittite architects at work. The text also shows, for the first time, their acrobatic skills as fearless stunt men. The |
| Starting Page | 97 |
| Ending Page | 97 |
| Page Count | 1 |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| DOI | 10.2307/1359712 |
| Volume Number | 40 |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/6886/1/uenal_ahmet_6886.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Thesis |
