New Piece of the Treaty of Kadesh Found in Excavations at Hattusa
A cuneiform tablet fragment discovered in the Hittite capital of Hattusa has been identified as belonging to the Akkadian copy of the Peace Treaty of Kadesh.
Scientific examinations have confirmed that a cuneiform tablet fragment recovered during excavations at the ancient city of Hattusa in Çorum belongs to one of the Akkadian-written copies of the world-renowned Peace Treaty of Kadesh.
Discovery of the Tablet Fragment
A new cuneiform tablet fragment was brought to light during archaeological excavations carried out in the royal palace area located in the Büyükkale region of Hattusa, the capital of the Hittites.
As a result of detailed scientific examinations that have been ongoing for some time, it was understood that this fragment, one side of which was observed to be well preserved, belongs to the obverse of the treaty.
Provisions Regarding Refugees
The historical document recovered contains clauses regulating the status of individuals who fled from the countries of Egypt and Hatti to seek asylum in the other country, as well as how these people should be treated.
It was determined that the legible parts of the fragment correspond to the regulations between the 12th and 20th articles of the treaty, and also contain expressions stating that the residences of these individuals shall not be destroyed.
Historical Significance and Expectations
Signed between Hittite King Hattusili III and Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II, the Peace Treaty of Kadesh ranks among the most important diplomatic texts regulating relations between the two great powers.
This new fragment obtained in Hattusa is expected to make significant contributions to completing the sections missing in previous copies and to gaining a clearer understanding of the diplomatic relations of the period.
Hattusa Tablet Collection
While the Egyptian copies of the treaty were inscribed in hieroglyphs on temple walls, the Akkadian cuneiform tablet fragments of the treaty in Hattusa have been brought to light in excavations conducted in the region since 1906.
While different copies of the treaty are also found within the Bogazkoy and Hattusa tablet collection, which was included in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2001, excavations at Büyükkale are still ongoing.