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Kültepe is the modern Turkish name for an ancient city in central eastern Anatolia, which was also
called Kârum Kanesh "merchant-colony city of Kanes" in Assyrian (rendered Karum Kaniş in Turkish). The nearest modern city is Kayseri, about 20km southwest. The city's name is often transliterated as "Kanesh" because of how Hittite was recorded in cuneiform, but Kanes is more accurate. As the first capital of the later Hittite Empire, it was usually called Nesa.
Several other cities in Anatolia also had kârû, but the largest was at Kanes. This important kârum was inhabited by merchants from Assyria for hundreds of years, who traded local tin and wool for luxury items, foodstuffs and spices, and woven fabrics from other parts of the world. It was ruled by a succession of local rulers of unclear ethnicity, probably Hattic and Hittite, with powerful trading families from Assyria participating.
The settlement is divided into several periods. New buildings were constructed on top of the remains of the earlier periods, thus there is a deep stratigraphy from prehistoric times to the early Hittite period. The remains of the kârum form a large circular mound 500m in diameter and about 20m above the plain.
Level IV. The first habitation. Writing was not used at this time.
Level III. Another illiterate period of occupation.
Level II, 1920 BCE-1840 BCE. During this period, Assyrian merchants established themselves in a ring of settlement surrounding the city. They did not conquer it, but paid taxes to the local prince for the privilege of conducting a profitable trade. The city was destroyed by fire in 1840 BCE, with the inhabitants leaving most of their possessions behind to be found by modern archaeologists. The findings have included enormous numbers of baked clay tablets, contained in clay envelopes stamped using cylinder seals. The documents record common activities such as trade and legal arrangements and literature. They are the oldest written documents from Anatolia.
Level Ib, 1798 BCE - 1740 BCE. After an interval of abandonment, the city was rebuilt over the ruins of the old and again became a prosperous trade center. However it was destroyed again by fire in 1740 BCE.
Level Ia. The city was reinhabited, but the Assyrians were no longer in residence. The culture was early Hittite.
The Hittite kings resided in Nesa before they moved their capital to Hattusa. The native term for the Hittite language is Nesili, i. e. "the language of Nesa".
External links
- KÜLTEPE (KANESH) -- http://www.atamanhotel.com/cappkultepe.html
- Kayseri - Historical Ruins -- http://www.kultur.gov.tr/portal/arkeoloji_en.asp?belgeno=703
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