27/10/2025
The Neo-Hittite site of Karatepe-AslantaĹź, in eastern Cilicia (southern Turkey), was discovered in 1946 by German archaeologist Helmuth Bossert.
Built on a hill overlooking the Ceyhan Valley, it once formed a fortified enclosure about one kilometer in perimeter, with two monumental gates decorated with inscriptions and reliefs.
Here was found the longest known Phoenician inscription, dated to the 8th century BCE.
Carved on stone slabs, it is part of a set of five texts: three in Phoenician and two in Luwian hieroglyphic script.
Commissioned by Azatiwada, governor of the kingdom of Que and vassal of Awariku, this bilingual text recounts the foundation of a city, the king’s achievements, and his loyalty to his gods and sovereign.
Linguistically, these inscriptions played a key role in the study of Luwian hieroglyphs, helping to confirm earlier interpretations and to enrich our understanding of Phoenician during the 1st millennium BCE.
Beyond their scientific importance, they reflect the encounter between Phoenician and Neo-Hittite cultures, united in stone to preserve the memory of a vanished world.