HATTI
(HATTUSA)
Incorporating the city of Zalwar :
The
Hatti were quite possibly an aboriginal people in central Anatolia,
and were therefore related to the Neolithic farmers who had branched
out into Old Europe to found the Sesklo culture of the seventh millennium
BC. The Hatti (Hattians or Hattis) occupied the region inside the
arc of the River Kizil Irmak in modern Turkey. The first settlements
in this region date from the Chalcolithic period of the sixth millennium
BC, when small, widely scattered hamlets appeared most particularly
on mountain slopes and rocky outcroppings. Early in the third millennium
BC, towards the end of the Early Bronze Age, a Hattian settlement
developed, marking the beginning of continuous occupation at the
site of Hattusa. These people spoke a non- Indo-European language
called Hattic which was probably related to the Circassian language
group. Their eastern neighbours probably spoke a very similar tongue,
those neighbours being the Khaldi (Chalybes or Chaldoi, whose easternmost
groups were later part of Urartu and some of whom may also have
formed the Halizones).
The
Hatti didn't have a written language of their own, but their scribes
probably used cuneiform script for trade dealings, especially after
the Assyrians set up trading posts in the region. Apparently possessing
a series of city states and small kingdoms from the mid-third millennium
BC, early on they probably participated in trade with the great
city states of Sumer, which needed cedar and hardwoods from the
Amanus mountains. In the villages of the Amq plain, at the foot
of the Amanus, findings of Ubaid Period painted pottery and then
the burnished wares of Uruk bear witness to the fact that the timber
trade was active even in those early days.
From
at least 2500 BC onwards, the Hatti occupied the mountain city state
of Hattusa (modern Bogazkale in Turkey), surrounded by arable land
and pasture for sheep, as well as some woodland. The Hatti were
probably also responsible for the states at Hassum, Kanesh, Purushanda
(possibly), and Zalwar, among others (the known rulers of Zalwar
are shown in green below in order to distinguish them from the rulers
of Hattusa). While at their height, they witnessed Luwians settling
to their south after around 2300 BC, to emerge in the states of
Arzawa and Kizzuwatna. In the eighteenth century BC, their homeland
was invaded by the Hittites, and within a century or so they had
been conquered and replaced. However, their region of Anatolia was
still known as the 'Land of the Hatti' until 630 BC, as described
by the Assyrians. It is likely that the victorious Hittites replaced
the Hatti as a new ruling elite and its associated servicers, while
the native Hatti found themselves pushed down towards the lower
rungs of society. Their descendants are still there, part of the
blending that makes up modern Turks.
![](Anatolian_CentralMountains01_long.jpg)
(Information
by Peter Kessler, with additional information from Warfare in the
Ancient Near East to 1600 BC: Holy Warriors at the Dawn of History,
William J Hamblin (Routledge, 2006), from The Horse The Wheel and
Language: How Bronze Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped
the Modern World, David W Anthony, from The Kingdom of the Hittites,
Trevor Bryce (1998), from The Hittites, O R Gurney (1991), from
The Hittites, J G Macqueen (1996), and from External Links: A Brief
History of Hattusha/Bogazköy (from Archive.today), and Proclamation
of Anittas (Hittite Online, Linguistics Research Center, University
of Texas at Austin), and Anatolian Conference abstracts, Emory University,
and Linguistics Research Center (University of Texas at Austin),
and The historical geography of north-central Anatolia in the Hittite
period: texts and archaeology in concert, Roger Matthews & Claudia
Glatz (Anatolian Studies Vol 59, 2009, pp 51-72, available via JSTOR).)
c.2700
BC :
Trade
routes in the Anatolia region are already well established with
the cities of Sumer. Such trade seems to flow via the city state
of Alakhtum at this time, with its king building a stylish and expensive
palace out of the income collected thanks to this trade. In Sumer
such energetic trade may be the result of rebuilding work after
the flood has affected cities such as Kish.
![](Hittite_OldCity01_full.jpg)
The
Hittite 'Old City' (which was probably based on the ruins of the
Hatti city) comprised an area of almost one square kilometre, being
protected by a massive fortification wall while on the high ridge
of Büyükkale was the residence of the 'Great King', and
the city lay on the slope below to the north-west, reaching towards
the valley below
c.2500
BC :
The
Hatti establish a city state centred on Hattousha (Hattusa), one
of many such small states in the region which are supported by farming
and which produce a distinctive, highly-burnished pottery. Nearby
Kanesh is probably also a Hatti state. The Hattian Early Period
begins here but, already, around them are settling newly-arriving
waves of Indo-Europeans of the South Indo-European group - generally
agreed to have been the first to migrate out of the original Indo-European
homeland to the north of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. These are
the Luwians, and they will eventually form two major regional states
along the southern Anatolian coast, Arzawa and Kizzuwatna.
c.2334
- 2279 BC :
The
later Hittite 'King of Battle' epic relates how Sargon of Akkad
campaigns in the region on the invitation of merchants from Purushanda
to attack their city (possibly Semites who wanted to initiate trade
between the two states). He marches against the city and attempts
to break down its walls, winning a relatively brief success. While
Purushanda later becomes a core Hittite city, at this date it seems
to be a significant and independent power of its own, and may not
be a Hattian domain.
late
23rd cent BC :
Pamba
: King
of the Hatti state based at Hattusa. Fought Naram-Sin.
The
green cubic stone at Hattusa was probably a gift to the later Hittite
rulers of the city from the Egyptian pharaoh with whom they signed
a peace treaty in 1258 BC
c.2200
BC :
Local
art in Hatti (as well as at Troy), while still primitive, has already
achieved a level of stylisation in the region which is independent
of Sumerian influences, and metalwork is elaborately decorated,
as discovered in the royal tombs of Alaca Höyük. However,
this point seems to mark the end of a period of success, as shown
by a layer of destruction and the burning of the Hatti citadel (part
of a decline that is seen across the entire region, including at
Tuba in Syria, Eridu and Uruk in Sumer, and in Egypt). The culture
which is illustrated by the tomb's objects does not continue into
the next historical phase, that of Kütepe.
c.2000
BC :
The
Assyrians establish trading colonies at Hattusa and Kanesh (Nesha
or Nesa, its local name), which may well be within Hattian territorial
boundaries. The local Kütepe Period civilisation (2000-1700
BC) which is based at Kanesh is at its height between 1950-1800
BC, possibly due to the prosperity this very trade brings in. This
is the start of the Hattian Middle Period.
![](Map1800BC_full.jpg)
At
the start of the second millennium BC, a series of small city states
in Anatolia which had existed for perhaps a millennium now began
to emerge from obscurity
c.1772
- 1769 BC :
Anum-Herwa
/ Anum-Hirbi : King of Zalwar. A vassal of Mari.
Anum-Herwa
is a contemporary of Zimri-Lim of Mari, and he begins his career
as that king's vassal. In years four and five of the latter's reign,
Anum-Herwa is mentioned as being king of Zalwar (currently unlocated
but possibly Koyuncu Höyük, near the marshes north of
the Lake of Antioch). In years seven and eight he appears as king
of Hassum of which he has taken control. He now ranks as an important
Anatolian king, and may still be alive at the time at which Anitta
leads the Hittites.
c.1769
- ? BC :
Anum-Herwa
/ Anum-Hirbi :
King of Hassum
after capturing the city.
mid-18th
cent BC : PiyustiKing of Hattusa. Defeated by the Hittites.
mid-18th
cent BC :
Piyusti
is defeated twice by the Hittite king, Anitta, and then the capital
at Hattusa is stormed, conquered, and destroyed. The cities of Zalpa,
Salatiwara, and Purushanda are also defeated, the latter without
even fighting. Purushanda may occupy a position of pre-eminence
in the region, and its surrender indicates the end of local resistance
to Hittite rule. Anitta's kingdom collapses after his death, however,
and Kanesh is destroyed shortly afterwards by a king of Salatiwara.
The Hittites remain centred on Kussara for a further century and
it is possible that the Hatti recover to some extent, but their
city at Hattusa is not rebuilt.
![](BlackSea_SouthCoast02_full.jpg)
Zalpa
was probably located on the southern Black Sea coast, presumably
within easy reach of its neighbouring cities of Kanesh, Kussara,
Hattusa, Purushanda, and Zalwar, plus others
c.1650
BC :
Under
Hattusili, heir to the throne of Kassura, the Hittites rapidly defeat
their enemies in central Anatolia, re-taking Hattusa which becomes
their capital. This point marks the definite end of Hattian civilisation
as it is totally submerged by that of the Hittites, and the populace
is integrated into Hittite society (although their artwork skills
survive, and most of their gods too). Hattians still form the majority
of the population, as can be seen in later images which show long-nosed
soldiers and populace, but leaders who look noticeably different.
Source
:
https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/
KingListsMiddEast/
AnatoliaHattiHattusa.htm