ISSN: 0041-4255
e-ISSN: 2791-6472

Ali Özcan

Yalova University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History, Yalova/ TÜRKİYE

Keywords: Late Hittite, Phrygian, Stele, Hartapuš, Konya Archaeology Museum.

Abstract

The eastern borders of the Phrygian Kingdom could be drawn through stone artifacts belonging to the Late Hittite Period lined along the east of Tuz Lake and the south of the Kızılırmak River. At the south part of Tuz Lake, there are Kızıldağ, Karadağ, Ereğli inscriptions and the İvriz Monument belonging to the Late Hittite Period. The inscription written by Anatolian hieroglyph Türkmen-Karahöyük 1 has changed our knowledge about the borders of the Phrygian and Late Hittite Kingdoms. It is stated in the hieroglyphic inscription that King Hartapuš captured the Land of Muška. This country in the Türkmen-Karahöyük 1 hieroglyphic inscription refers to the Phrygian Kingdom. According to Akkadian and hieroglyphic records, the Phrygian Kingdom is called the Land of Muška by the Assyrians and Late Hittites. The inscription on the Türkmen-Karahöyük 1 explains the Late Hittite borders expanded towards the Salt Lake.

This study focused on a stele that has not been scientifically published before and that we dated up to the Late Hittite Period. The work is exhibited in the Konya Archaeology Museum. It was found in the garden of a house in İnsuyu Town of Cihanbeyli district of Konya province, in 1999. The fact that the İnsuyu Stele is located in the west of Tuz Lake proves that the southern border of the Phrygians changed over time. In our study, information about the features and dating of the İnsuyu Stele is given, and the southern borders of the Phrygian Kingdom have been discussed, according to the findspot and characteristics of the İnsuyu Stele.