HITTITES 267 



New light has been thrown on the Hittites by excavations at Jerablus (Carchemish) 

 begun by the British Museum in 1911, and at Sakjegeuzi, begun by the University of 

 Liverpool in 1908 but not continued after 1912. Also by discovery or re-examination 

 of sporadic monuments, and further study of sites. 



The re-excavation of Jerablus, so far as it has gone yet, has resulted in (i) Re-exami- 

 nation of the ground in the lower walled city at the S.W. foot of the Acropolis, where a 

 stairway and several sculptured and inscribed monuments were found 1878-1881. The 

 stairway is now seen to be approached from a courtyard lined with reliefs representing 

 triumphant warriors, divinities, etc., and to be engaged in a block of buildings to left and 

 right which probably represent the palace. Most of the sculptures belong to a com- 

 paratively late period (loth or 9th cents. B.C.) and the staircase has been reconstructed. 

 Many sculptured and inscribed fragments (over .100 new texts or parts), proving whole- 

 sale destruction, probably after the Assyrian capture (717 B.C.), as well as terracotta 

 figurines, pottery, etc., have been recovered here or elsewhere. (2) Discovery of a water 

 gate, connected with the above block of buildings and leading to the Euphrates S.E. of 

 the Acropolis. It was lined with reliefs and entered between great inscribed lions. 

 Here also are two periods of construction, and sculpture of two periods, one of Cappa- 

 docian character, the later more purely Mesopotamian. (3) Discovery of an Assyrian 

 fortress in crude brick with stone facade on the northern end of the Acropolis. Two 

 important Hittite monuments indicate the presence of an earlier building below. The 

 strata of the Acropolis mound have been tested down to 50 feet below the summit, 

 where lie neolithic implements and painted sherds. Below these again should be more 

 primitive strata. The south end of the Acropolis carried a very massive Syro-Roman 

 temple, whose deep foundations have greatly destroyed earlier remains. (4) Discovery 

 of numerous graves, partly in the Acropolis mound, partly in the surrounding district, 

 especially near Amana, where rises the large mound, Tell el-Ghanim. Most are of later 

 Hittite period; but some, of pot-burial type, are probably of the Cappadocian time. 



(5) Discovery of isolated Hittite inscriptions and sculptures in the surrounding district. 



(6) Examination of the remains of the important post-Assyrian city which stood on the 

 site and was inhabited up to Arab times, perhaps the classical Europus or Oropus. 



The results as a whole tend to show that only a small area on the rocky knoll by the 

 Euphrates, which afterwards was raised artificially to make an Acropolis, was inhabited 

 in pre-Hittite times; that there was a Cappadocian Hatti occupation from about the 

 i5th cent. B.C., during which the city was enlarged and fortified, and Hatti art, strongly 

 influenced by Babylonian, was introduced on the top of a native Syrian culture; that 

 some cause produced collapse and reconstruction about 1100-1000 B.C., and the subse- 

 quent civilisation, still of Hittite character, owed much to Assyria and acknowledged 

 other gods than the Cappadocian, notably Sandan. The invasion of the Muski about 

 noo B.C. was doubtless the cause of the Hatti collapse, and possibly the subsequent 

 reconstruction was also the work of the Muski, who are known to have adopted Hatti 

 writing and art and to have succeeded to Hatti dominion in Eastern Asia Minor. If 

 not, then Carchemish resumed existence as a local capital independent of Cappadocia 

 after 1000 B.C. Reliefs in the palace court seem to commemorate victories over 

 Assyrians, and if so, these must have been won in the interval of Assyrian weakness 

 between Tiglath Pileser I (noo B.C.) and Ashur-natsirpal (883 B.C.). 



The excavations at Sakjegeuzi have resulted in thorough examination of one mound 

 (Jobba) and partial examination of two others, including the largest (Songrus). In the 

 first has been laid bare a large fortified building with chambers inside the wall and inner 

 residence in one angle, approached by a portico with good wall reliefs and architectural 

 sculpture. : Egyptian objects date this building to the gth or 8th century B.C. No 

 Hittite inscriptions have come to light here or elsewhere on the site, though a few small 

 Hittite objects have been found, with pottery ranging from neolithic to so-called 



1 See E. B. xiii, 534 et seq. 



