(ORDO NEWS) — Archaeologists have made a rare discovery in Hattus, the long-abandoned capital of the Hittite kingdom. Exploring a stone tunnel, they discovered 249 previously unknown hieroglyphs, according to Arkeonews.
Hattusa is located on the territory of modern Turkey. Its ruins date back to around 2000 BC. Hattusa is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Excavations began in 1907 and continue to this day.
A team led by the German Archaeological Institute conducted research in the Yerkapı Tunnel. In translation, its name means “gate in the earth.”
The tunnel is located inside an artificial embankment at the southernmost point of the city walls. It was built from several thousand stones.
The inside of the tunnel is protected from temperature fluctuations, as well as the effects of rain, winds and light. Therefore, it has been well preserved to this day.
The signs discovered by scientists on the wall were inscribed about 3,500 years ago, but are still clearly visible. Experts could not establish their exact values. Presumably, they denote the names of the gods.
Archaeologists noted that the hieroglyphs may indicate the true purpose of the tunnel. They believe that it did not serve as an ordinary defensive structure, but was associated with temples in the northern part of the city.
Interestingly, most of the Hittite texts have come down to us in the form of cuneiform. The new evidence shows that they also used a unique Anatolian script.
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