Ivriz: A City of Hidden Hittites
Turkey is full of hidden gems. While places like the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul and the ancient city of Ephesus are breathtaking, some of my favorite sights in Turkey are a little further off the map. Sometimes they are only referenced by a little brown sign on the side of the road. Sometimes to get to them you have to be willing to get a little lost. But the effort is nearly always rewarded.
One of these hidden gems is about 45 minutes off the main road running from Konya to Adana in Ivriz. It is a Hittite relief carved into the face of a mountain. Following the occasional brown sign, it is easy to get lost, but the scenery is beautiful.
After driving through a little village, the road dead ends at a large parking lot with a picnic area and a beautiful creek running parallel to the bottom of a rocky mountain.
The pathway leading back to the relief is lined with different vendors selling handmade goods, produce, and snacks.
After rounding a corner, the relief suddenly comes into view. It is about 4.2 meters (13.77 feet) tall, and stunning.
It pictures a Hittite king, Warpalawas, petitioning the god Tarhunda, for plentitude and fertility for their crops. The king is the smaller of the two figures, with the god of fertility towering over him.
It is surprisingly well-preserved, considering it is on the side of a mountain with no protection from the elements. Details such as the curls of Tarhunda’s hair, and the patterns in the fabric of the king’s skirt are clearly defined and striking.
A close-by sign informs the visitor that the relief is CA 800BC.
Reading Warpalawas’ words about himself made me feel small. In his day, he was a ruler and a hero. And yet today, he is long forgotten. I wouldn’t know his name except for reading it on this sign, the product of an expert in translation for a language also long forgotten. The sweep of history that is preserved across Turkey is a lesson in humility and the brevity of life.
Though the Hittite kingdom has long gone, remnants of it remain scattered all throughout Turkey. For the locations of these monuments, see www.hittitemonuments.com.
TO OUR FRIENDS IN THE WEST, KEEP LOOKING EAST!
Ginny Lou Henley
Ginny Lou is a co-founder of West2East. Originally from Alabama, Ginny Lou has called Turkey home for the past nine years. To read more about her, click here.