LOST AND FOUND?

The Kingdom of the Hittites is often described as ‘the land of a thousand Gods’ and, indeed, from contemporary texts we know of countless deities who were worshipped. While there is evidence for the existence of large Hittite statues, none have ever been found. What happened to them?

Jorrit Kelder

SPECIAL BRONZE AGE ANATOLIAN AND AEGEAN CULT STATUES The Hittites recognized the divine in a variety of objects, including stones, stelae, or objects, but many of their deities were anthropomorphic in shape. Some of these deities may be identified in various statuettes, sometimes made of clay, though others were made of precious metals, such as silver, gold, or even iron. Yet, the plinths in the temples of Hattusa, for example, indicate the likely presence of larger statues. Similarly, Hittite texts indicate that significant quantities of metals were occasionally used for the creation of cult statues. In one exceptional text, Queen Puduhepa even promises a life-sized statue of her husband, Hattusili III, “with hands, head, and feet made of gold”, to the Goddess Lelwani, if she preserves the king’s health. Iconography too,…

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Ancient History (Digital) - 1 Issue, AH 48

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