Central Turkey: Millenia-old Hittite construction found

By Fatih Gokmen

KIRIKKALE, Turkey (AA) - Nine layers of millenia-old ruins dating back to the ancient Hittite civilization were discovered in central Turkey, an archeologist said on Thursday.

"We have identified nine layers of construction belonging to the Hittite period," Kimiyoshi Matsumura told Anadolu Agency in Kirikkale, where the dig site is located.

Matsumura said he and his team unearthed a city wall dating back to 600-700 B.C., adding that the team had found a layer underneath dating back to 14th century B.C.

The excavation area covers a huge city, Matsumura said adding that the team would continue work even if it took more than 100 years to unearth the entire area.

- Clay cuneiform tablets, diplomatic letters

Matsumura said the archeologists discovered clay tablets dating back to the Hittites that are suspected of being diplomatic letters between two countries.

"It was also written in this letter that a messenger was sent who did not return," Matsumura added.

Matsumura said they had also discovered a bone seal belonging to the Hittite capital of Bogazkoy (Hattusha) currently located in Turkey’s central Corum province, further evidence that the city was related to the Hittites.

- One of the World's oldest glass bottles

Matsumura said a glass bottle dating back to around 1700 B.C. was also discovered in the excavation site.

"This is one of the oldest glass bottles in the world, a similar one was discovered in Bogazkoy," he said.

Matsumura added that the bottle's presence "offered new ideas about the production of glass bottles."

* Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur