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Archaeological Site of Kültepe-Kanesh
Turkey
Date of Submission: 15/04/2014
Criteria: (ii)(iii)
Category: Cultural
Submitted by:
Permanent Delegation of Turkey to UNESCO
State, Province or Region:
Province of Kayseri, District of Kocasinan
Ref.: 5905
Description
The site of Kültepe, which was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kanesh and centre of a complex network of
Assyrian trade colonies in the 2nd millennium B.C., is located 20 km to the northeast of the modern city of Kayseri.
Situated just at the foot of Mount Erciyes (ancient Argeus) and on a fertile plain, Kültepe occupies a position at which
historic and natural routes, leading from Sivas in the northeast and Malatya in the southeast, converge. This naturally
advantageous position allowed Kültepe to emerge as a centre of importance in the world of ancient politics and trade.
Kültepe thus became a key centre of culture and commerce between Anatolia, Syria, and Mesopotamia by the end of
the 3rd millennium B.C. and especially during the first quarter of the 2nd millennium B.C. The site is composed of two
parts, an upper mound and a lower town:
1. Upper Mound-Kanesh
Rising 21 m above the surrounding plain, the Kanesh mound measures approximately 550 x 500 m in diameter. It is
nearly circular in appearance and is one of the largest among central Anatolian ancient mounds. Excavations
revealed that the Upper Mound was inhabited from the earliest phase of the Early Bronze Age, to the end of the
Roman Period.
2. Lower Town-Karum
The Lower Town, which the Assyrians called the Karum (literally, “quay”), surrounds the Mound. In certain parts, the
occupation layers of the Karum rise up to 2 m above the surrounding plain. The diameter of the entire settlement
including both the Mound and the Karum is at least 2.5 km. The Karum is the part of the site where foreign and native
traders lived and conducted business. It was inhabited for approximately 300 years.
Assyrian Trading Colonies Period
Soon after the north Mesopotamian city of Ashur established itself as an independent state at the end of the 3rd
millennium B.C., King Erishum I launched a series of trade reforms in order to secure the future of his kingdom. He
lifted the state monopoly on trade, thereby allowing long-distance commerce to be carried out by private individuals
operating within ‘family firms.’ This in turn led to the creation of a highly complex and wide-reaching trade network
between north Mesopotamia and Anatolia during the first quarter of the 2nd millennium B.C. The centre of this
network was the ancient city of Kanesh, from which incoming Assyrian goods were redistributed further into Anatolia.
Archaeological excavations at the site have uncovered a series of highly important monumental administrative
structures as well as residential neighbourhoods.
The cities of the Old Assyrian Trading colony Period comprised stone-paved streets (with subterranean drainage
channels) and open spaces separating individual neighbourhoods. Houses with mud-brick walls rising on stone
foundations and supported by timber beams ranged from small, two-roomed structures to larger complexes of six or
more rooms; most houses had two storeys. Constructed in local Anatolian manner, the houses were closely built.
Archives of Kültepe-Kanesh
With a vast repertoire of tens of thousands of archaeological and textual finds unearthed in ongoing excavations
since 1948, Kültepe is not only a site of utmost importance for Anatolian archaeology, but also for world archaeology.
The private archives of the Karum residents have yielded 23,500 clay tablets and envelopes to date. These are the
earliest written documents which illustrated the ancient Anatolian history. Life, society and economy at this site, even
the family affairs and personal relationships of its inhabitants, were recorded on clay tablets in the Old Assyrian
dialect of the Akkadian language using the cuneiform (wedge-shaped) script, the knowledge of which came into
Anatolia with Assyrian merchants.
Unlike royal or temple archives discovered in other ancient centres, the cuneiform archives of Kültepe-Kanesh
represent the single largest body of private texts in the ancient Near East. They were kept in archive rooms, neatly
arranged inside clay vessels, wooden chests, wicker baskets or sacks. The fire which eventually destroyed the city
must have started suddenly; as the excavations revealed many documents were still in their envelopes, before the
merchants could dispatch their recently written letters or open those newly received.
Palaces at Kültepe-Kanesh
To date, five building levels (6-10) have been identified on the Upper Mound, which correspond to Levels I-IV in the
Karum Lower Town, covering the period of international exchange centring on this site. Five kings whose names are
known have reigned from the so-called Warshama Palace, which was constructed in Level 7. Eventually destroyed in
an intense conflagration, the palace took its name from King Warshama of Kanesh, son of Inar. The palace later
became the seat of the Kussaran kings Pithana and his son Anitta, who conquered Kanesh. Consisting of a large
central stone-paved courtyard surrounded by multiple rooms on all sides, the palace resembles contemporary Old
Babylonian architecture of Mesopotamia.
The large Warshama Palace was preceded by the earlier Old Palace of Level 8 and the South Terrace Palace, a
well-equipped structure boasting long corridors and an open courtyard. Both of these earlier palaces played
significant roles in the network of international trade; besides being used as royal residences, they also served as
storage facilities for incoming trade goods until the payment of customs fees were completed. This additional function
influenced their architectural plans.
Justification of Outstanding Universal Value
Scientific archaeological excavations at the site have uncovered a series of highly important monumental
administrative structures as well as private dwellings. 23,500 tablets, which have been kept in such houses, were the
first written documents of Anatolia, marking the beginning of Anatolian history. Unlike royal or temple archives
discovered in other ancient centres, the cuneiform archives of Kültepe-Kanesh represent the single largest body of
private texts in the ancient Near East.
To date, five building levels (6-10) have been identified on the Upper Mound, which correspond to Levels I-IV in the
Karum Lower Town, covering the period of international exchange centring on this site. Five kings of known names
have reigned from the so-called Warshama Palace, which was constructed at Level 7. The large Warshama Palace
was preceded by the earlier Old Palace of Level 8 and the South Terrace Palace, a well-equipped structure boasting
long corridors and an open courtyard. The significant role of these palaces in the network of international trade
influenced their plans and created a distinctive architectural design.
Criterion (ii): Kültepe-Kanesh was the administrative centre of the complex trade network established between the
north Mesopotamian city of Ashur and Anatolia during the first quarter of the second millennium B.C. As such,
Kültepe-Kanesh became the core settlement for Assyrian merchants in Anatolia. In keeping with the high intensity of
Assyrian presence, the site possesses the largest collection of cuneiform texts comprising the private archives of its
Assyrian residents, as well as those of a small number of Anatolians who also adopted the Mesopotamian system of
writing and kept archives in the style of their Assyrian colleagues.
Maintained in the homes of private individuals, these archives were recovered from the Lower City, namely the area
of the Karum where foreign merchants settled. The initial phase of settlement (Level II) came to an end in a severe
fire around the year 1835 B.C. (corresponding to the reign of King Naram-Sin in Ashur). Settlement resumed shortly
afterwards in what is designated as Level Ib).
The Lower Town notably boasted stone-paved streets which would have easily allowed cart traffic. The border stones
lining the streets were intended for pedestrians, as well as providing a protective measure for the house facades.
Incoming Assyrian merchants lived in houses which they either bought or had specially constructed upon arrival. In
terms of construction technique and architectural layout, the houses of Kültepe-Kanesh are of local Anatolian style,
characterized by mud-brick walls on stone foundations, often with timber support beams. The majority of the houses
have two major areas, namely a family/living-room and storage spaces, used as larders and/or archive rooms. Due to
the excellent degree of preservation at the site, locked archive rooms, storage spaces packed with pre-sale
merchandise and household items have been recovered intact.
As for the monumental palaces on the Upper Mound, these were multifunctional structures serving commercial,
administrative and storage functions as well as being royal residences. Royal reception rooms and residential
quarters would have been on upper storeys, with the ground level being reserved for administrative and other
activities. Each of the three palaces recovered on the mound has distinct plans of its own.
Criterion (iii): Kültepe-Kanesh is the longest -and the most intensely- excavated site belonging to the period of
Assyrian colonies. Archaeological excavations at the site have uncovered a series of highly important monumental
administrative structures as well as residential neighbourhoods. Kept in such houses, the private archives of the
Karum residents have yielded 23,500 clay tablets and envelopes to date. These are the first written documents that
started the textual history of Anatolia.
The particular settlement model of mixed cohabitation of local Anatolian and foreign Mesopotamian and Syrian
merchants is not seen at any other ancient Near Eastern settlement. Thanks to the detailed architectural plans of a
large number of houses (approximately 100 in number) and considerable portions of neighbourhoods, the settlement
patterns at the site can be studied in depth. The private archives kept in these houses make up the first private
libraries of political, commercial and legal documents of ancient Anatolia, affording a uniquely rich source of
information for ancient Near Eastern scholarship as a whole.
Statements of authenticity and/or integrity
Kültepe-Kanesh has been recognized since 1871 when the “Cappadocian tablets” were first revealed in world
museums and in illegal markets. Regrettably, sporadic uncontrolled excavations from 1893 until 1925 have caused a
great deal of damage to the site, as has the local habit of obtaining earth from the mound to use as fertiliser for
agricultural fields.
Since 1948, scientific excavations have been conducted by Prof. Dr. Tahsin Özgüç and (following his death in 2005)
Prof. Dr. Fikri Kulakoğlu on behalf of Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Ankara University. A great deal of work
towards the protection and restoration of exposed remains have taken place at the site. As an archaeological site
today, Kültepe retains its surrounding natural habitat which is no doubt similar to its ancient environment four
thousand years ago.
Kültepe-Kanesh Archaeological Site is under protection by the Turkish Legislation for Preservation of Cultural and
Natural Property, Law No.: 2863. It was registered as cultural property to be preserved with the decision of Superior
Council of Immovable Antiquities and Monuments dated 08/04/1977, numbered A-423. By the decision of the related
Conservation Council dated 06/11/1993, 1621 s1989 numbered 488, the borders of the 1st degree archaeological
site were determined. In 2001, borders of the protected site were expanded according to the outcomes of the
excavations.
Being located 20 km to the northeast of the centre of Kayseri, the archaeological site of Kültepe can be reached
easily from the city. As Kayseri expands eastward, the distance between the city and the site has diminished, making
Kültepe even more accessible. However, this also poses a threat for Kültepe, which is a registered 1st degree
archaeological site within which no construction is permitted. Having come into existence at a time prior to Kültepe’s
protected status, the modern village of Karahöyük does remain but due to the construction ban the village population
has dwindled down to five resident families today.
Comparison with other similar properties
Kültepe-Kanesh is by far the richest and most significant source of information for the period of Assyrian trade
colonies. Both the archaeological material and textual documentation obtained from the site far surpasses the
information offered by contemporary colony period sites such as Boğazköy, Alişar, Acemhöyük, and KonyaKarahöyük.
In terms of the high level of archaeological preservation, the extent of exposure achieved by continuous excavations
since 1948, the extremely rich and varied repertoire of artefacts, certainly the unique body of textual documents
recovered and the settlement model of mixed cohabitation of local Anatolian and foreign Mesopotamian and Syrian
merchants, Kültepe-Kanesh is unmatched by any of its contemporaries.
Unlike royal or temple archives discovered in other ancient centres, the cuneiform archives of Kültepe-Kanesh
represent the single largest body of private texts in the ancient Near East. Moreover, given the extremely scanty
nature of the information available on the contemporary levels of the north Mesopotamian city of Ashur, from which
the incoming merchants originated, Kültepe-Kanesh remains the principle source on the Assyrian Kingdom at this
time.