Fıraktın relief

The Hittite rock relief Fıraktın relief (or Fraktın) is located roughly 50 km south of Kayseri in the province of the same name in southern Turkey, at Fıraktın on the bank of the Enzel Dere, a tributary of the Zamantı Irmağı. Strabo called the place Dastarkon. Rock reliefs are a prominent aspect of Hittite art.

Location

The relief is in a steep valley, between Mount Erciyes and the Anti-Taurus Mountains east of Develi. The valley was historically an important route into Cilicia (and from there into Syria via the Gezbeli and Küçük Gezbeli passes). A Mycenaean vase was found nearby, which probably came via Cilicia. Between 1880 and 1939, five reliefs from Hittite times were discovered in this location, more than in any other spot in Anatolia. The other four reliefs are Hanyeri, İmamkullu and Taşçı A and B.

Description

The relief is about 1.3 m x 3.2 m and was made in the 13th century BC, in the time of the Hittite empire. It faces northwest, towards Mount Erciyes, which like all mountains was worshiped in Hittite times. The relief is in three parts.

The left section shows the Hittite king Hattusili III (right) making an offering to the weather god, pouring water from a kind of beaked flagon into a vessel on the ground. Between them there is an altar like structure, with a grooved, conical item on top, probably offering-bread. Both the god and the king wear pointed hats, which symbolised divinity. From this, it can be concluded that the image was probably made after Hattusili's death in the reign of his son and successor Tudhaliya IV, since the Hittite kings were considered divine after their deaths. The weather god holds a crook in his hands. In front of each of their heads are hieroglyphic symbols, naming the depicted individuals.

In the middle scene is his wife, Tawannanna Puduhepa (right), making a libation to the Sun goddess Hebat. There is an altar between these two figures as well, with a bird or a bird-shaped vessel on top of it. The depiction gets rougher on the right end; probably the work was not finished.

The third part of the relief consists of massive Luwian hieroglyphs. The continue the description of the queen which begins beside her head, "Daughter of the land of Kizzuwatna, beloved by the divine."

A concrete copy of the relief can be viewed at the Kayseri Museum, as well as a plaster cast in the Pergamonmuseum in Berlin.

Bibliography

  • Kay Kohlmeyer. "Felsbilder der hethitischen Großreichszeit." Acta Praehistorica et Archaeologica 15 (1983) pp. 67–74.
  • Eberhard P. Rossner. Die hethitischen Felsreliefs in der Türkei. 2nd Edition, 1988, <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css" />ISBN .
  • Horst Ehringhaus. Götter, Herrscher, Inschriften. Die Felsreliefs der hethitischen Großreichszeit in der Türkei. Zabern, Mainz 2005, <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css" />ISBN , pp. 59–65.

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
There are no tips nor hints for Fıraktın relief yet. Maybe be you will be the first one to post useful information for fellow travellers? :)
Map
1km from Gümüşören, Unnamed Road, 38400 Develi/Kayseri, Turkey Get directions

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Kayseri Konuk Evleri Apart Rezidans

starting $27

Radisson Blu Hotel Kayseri

starting $70

Grand Eras Hotel Kayseri

starting $31

Gevher Hotel

starting $29

Almer Hotel

starting $40

Ramada Resort Erciyes

starting $0

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kayseri Castle

Kayseri Castle, is a castle built in antiquity and first mentioned in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu Underground City is located in the homonymous Derinkuyu

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kaymaklı Underground City

Kaymaklı Underground City is contained within the citadel of

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Zelve Monastery

Zelve Monastery was carved into the rock in pre-Iconoclastic times.

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Göreme

Göreme (Greek: Κόραμα ('Korama')), located among the 'fairy chimne

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Eskigümüş Monastery

The Eskigümüş rock cut monastery, located off the Kayseri-Niğde roa

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Cappadocia

Cappadocia (pronounced ; also Capadocia; Turkish Kapadokya, from

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Uçhisar Kalesi

Uçhisar Kalesi is a tourist attraction, one of the Interesting

See all nearby places

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu (Quechua: Machu Pikchu, 'Old Peak', pronounced ]) is a

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens is the best known acropolis (Gr. akros, akron,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Old Town, Al-'Ula

The Old Town is an archaeological site near Al-'Ula, Medina Province,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Temple of Poseidon, Sounion

The ancient Greek temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, built during

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Roman theatre of Philippopolis

The Roman theatre of Philippopolis (Latin: Theatrum Trimontense;

See all similar places