An unknown kingdom in Turkey, lost in time

The time of great discoveries is not behind us. The world still holds many surprises to be unveiled, believe it or not! 

As recently as last winter, a farmer in southern Turkey unearthed a large stone stuck in an irrigation canal. This stone carried mysterious inscriptions belonging to an ancient, lost civilization. 

The archaeologists determined that the writing was in Luwian, an ancient Indo-European language from Anatolia. It was used by the people living in western and southern Asia Minor from the 2^nd millennium BC, prior to the arrival of the Hittites. The hieroglyphic symbols were read in alternating sequences from right to left and left to right.

This newly discovered inscription mentions an ancient civilization that might have defeated the Phrygians, best known through their King Midas, in the late 8^th century BC (see: Gordion, a name with a resonance). A specific symbol on the stone indicated that the message came directly from their ruler, King Hartapu. The name Hartapu was known from a previously discovered inscription on a mound some 16 kilometers away, but at that time neither his title nor kingdom was mentioned. 

The kingdom, whose name is not known yet, existed between the 9^th and the 7^th centuries BC. Its capital was probably located near Turkmen-Karahöyük, less than 20 kilometers from the UNESCO site of Çatalhöyük. 

Imagine, this was 300-500 years before Alexander! Maybe he had the answers we hope to find in future research?

[Pictures from Archaeology World]