5 May 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeologists Found Seal Impressions That Could Change Hittite History in Kayalıpınar

A seal impression belonging to Hattusili III was found during the excavations carried out near the village of Kayalıpınar in Yıldızeli district of Sivas province, located in the central Anatolia region of Türkiye.

Hattusili III, one of the most famous kings of the Hittites, took his place in history with the Battle of Kadesh and the subsequent Kadesh Peace Treaty. Not only was Hattusilis successful in his military exploits, both before and after his assumption of the kingship, he and his wife Puduhepa, instituted religious reforms within the Hittite kingdom and engaged in extensive diplomatic relations with other great powers of the time such as Egypt and Assyria.

Hattusili III ruled the Hittite lands between 1267 and 1237 BC.

Archaeologists have been excavating in Kayalipinar, a village in Yildizeli District in Sivas Province, since 2004. It was determined that this region, where many epigraphic findings were discovered, was one of the Hittite cities of the Imperial period.

According to the Anadolu Agency, Dr. Çigdem Maner, Associate Professor of Koç University’s Department of Archeology and Art History, has been collaborating with international scientists, and the team is making significant progress at the excavation site.

Kayalıpınar Photo AA

Stated that they have been continuing the excavations in Kayalıpınar village since 2021 with Emre Kuruçayırlı, Deputy head of Excavations at Boğaziçi University, Maner said, “We worked with international teams from many universities, and our work this year lasted approximately 2.5 months,” said.

“Kayalipinar was previously known as a settlement from the Old Assyrian and Hittite periods. This year’s findings and architecture show that this settlement is actually much older and dates back to even later periods. We could understand that it lasted for about 1,000 years. These excavations prove that Kayalipinar was the center of millennia,” Maner said.

Researchers have unearthed ancient seal impressions of King Hattusili III, his children, his wife Puduhepa, and princes, as well as clay seal prints belonging to the King’s eldest son, Crown Prince Nerikaili. Archaeologists also found pieces of cuneiform tablets with inscriptions of festivals and fortune-telling texts.

Photo Serhat Sezer AA

Maner explained that they carried out excavations in 4 areas in Kayalıpınar this year and said:

“In the excavations we conducted in these areas, we uncovered both significant architectural remnants and important artifacts. In one of our trenches, we were particularly able to understand the stratigraphy of this excavation. Among the most important findings are seal impressions that could potentially change Hittite history. These seals are imprinted on clay and have managed to survive to the present day. We found them in a burned building we excavated. Especially from the period of Hattuşili III, we discovered very important seal impressions related to his wife, children, and the royal family. After consultations and discussions, we would like to designate the structure where these were found as the Imperial Archive. We can see that there is a very significant Hittite imperial archive in Kayalıpınar.”

Maner stated that they have discovered administrative structures from the Hittite period in Kayalıpınar. She continued, “We haven’t found a religious structure yet, but most of the inscriptions are religious texts. Therefore, in our future work, we aim to uncover religious structures and hopefully find some political texts as well. When we look at the archives in Hattusa (Boğazköy), we see that very important political texts have emerged. In this year’s excavations, we also unearthed two new Hittite structures. Based on their plans and findings, we believe they could be temples. In fact, we found the name of King Hattusili III engraved on a ceramic vessel in one of the structures. So, we are very excited.”

Maner stated that they guessed that there was a burning shelf in the area where they found the seal impressions, and said, “During the Hittite period, they used to wrap strings around wooden tablets, and they would imprint seals on those strings. These seals have survived to the present day, but the wooden tablets turned into ashes due to the fire.”

Related Articles

Britain’s Oldest Prehistoric Circle Uncovered, Potential Blueprint for Stonehenge

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

Recent archaeological findings at the prehistoric funerary site of Flagstones in Dorset have unveiled that this remarkable circular enclosure, dating...

Archaeologists found three large shipwrecks, 139 Viking Graves, and a ship-shaped mound in Sweden

21 October 2024

21 October 2024

Exciting discoveries in Sweden! Archaeologists were preparing to investigate a Stone Age settlement outside Varberg. But they came across a...

A rural necropolis from Late Antiquity discovered in northeastern France

5 November 2022

5 November 2022

Inrap archaeologists have unearthed a small rural necropolis from the late 5th century (Late Antiquity) at Sainte-Marie-aux-Chênes in northeastern France....

Beautiful’ Water-Nymph Marble Statue Found in Amastris ancient city

8 September 2023

8 September 2023

Excavations in the ancient city of Amastris, located in the Black Sea province of Bartın’s Amasra district, have unearthed a...

A fossilized Neanderthal skeleton unearthed in France may have belonged to a previously undescribed lineage that split from other Neanderthals

12 September 2024

12 September 2024

The fossilized Neanderthal skeleton, discovered in a cave system in the Rhône Valley of France, represents a previously unidentified lineage...

The rich-poor distinction draws attention in the nutrition of the inhabitants of the Ancient City of Pergamon

27 November 2021

27 November 2021

The hegemony of wealth to the poor, arising from the ruler, elite structure, property ownership, unjust acquisition, and distribution of...

A stone statue (Balbal) with height up to 3 meters found in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan

18 October 2022

18 October 2022

A balbal (stone statue) with a height of up to 3 meters was found during agricultural work in the Ak-Bulun...

Remarkable Roman mosaic discovered near London Bridge in Southwark

22 February 2022

22 February 2022

A team of archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology have announced the discovery well-preserved Roman mosaic that may have...

Excavations at the ‘Westminster Abbey of Wales’ Yielded a Few Surprises: a lost Aqueduct and a Buried Celtic Treasure

12 March 2024

12 March 2024

Archaeologists working in Wales revealed recently they may have discovered a Celtic monastery at the site of a 12th-century Cistercian...

New discoveries found under demolished historic Tawfiq Pasha Andraos Palace in Egypt

31 October 2021

31 October 2021

An Egyptian archaeological mission excavating at the site of the recently demolished Tawfiq Pasha Andraos Palace discovered a number of...

Rare Ancient Stamps Found in Falster May Show Way to an Unknown King’s Home

27 July 2023

27 July 2023

In the center of Falster, southeast of Denmark, a man with a metal detector has made an important discovery. The...

1500-Year-Old Mosaic Saved in illegal Excavation Operation

3 April 2021

3 April 2021

During the illegal excavation operation carried out in Izmir’s Aliağa district, a monastery built during the Roman period and about...

Medieval Weapon Chest Found on Sunken Medieval Flagship Gribshunden

20 April 2024

20 April 2024

An extensive exploration of the wreck of the royal flagship Gribshunden has unearthed a trove of new findings: new insights...

The Historical Building Next To The Million Stone Will Sell

6 February 2021

6 February 2021

Everyone has heard of the Million Stone, which was built during the Byzantine Empire and accepted as the zero points...

4750-year-old Megalithic Stone Plaza Discovered in the High Andes of Peru

15 February 2024

15 February 2024

Two anthropology professors from the University of Wyoming have discovered a prehistoric plaza high in the Andes, known as Callacpuma...