Forest in Hittite texts

Hasan Tuncer

Article Details

Forest in Hittite texts

Authors:

Hasan Tuncer

Publisher:

Isparta University of Applied Sciences

Main Topics:

Ormancılık (Diğer)

Journal:

Turkish Journal of Forestry Vol.24 Issue 3, pp.309-315

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001300112

pISSN:

2149-3898

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Since the earliest times of history, fertile lands have had an important place for every society. This was also the case for the Hittites. Forested areas and the types of trees found in these areas are recorded in Hittite texts. The aim of this article is to analyses and evaluate the issue of forest in the Hittites through Hittite texts. In addition, the words that express the word forest and appear in the cuneiform documents were examined and how they were used in the texts was expressed. In the Hittites, forested areas with various trees were not only considered as a place of material benefits, but also as a sacred place. So much so that the Hittites performed many rituals in forested areas. It is also learnt from the texts that there were officials, bathing houses and some structures consecrated during the rituals in the forested areas. Some suggestions were also made to prevent the wrath and evil of the gods from visiting the forested areas. As various cities may have forests, sometimes forested areas were mentioned in the designation of a place, and sometimes it was stated that forests were located in an important part of the city. Forests, which were considered as a sacred place by the Hittites, were recorded in cuneiform documents in many different types of texts.

 Since the earliest times of history, fertile lands have had an important place for every society. This was also the case for the Hittites. Forested areas and the types of trees found in these areas are recorded in Hittite texts. The aim of this article is to analyses and evaluate the issue of forest in the Hittites through Hittite texts. In addition, the words that express the word forest and appear in the cuneiform documents were examined and how they were used in the texts was expressed. In the Hittites, forested areas with various trees were not only considered as a place of material benefits, but also as a sacred place. So much so that the Hittites performed many rituals in forested areas. It is also learnt from the texts that there were officials, bathing houses and some structures consecrated during the rituals in the forested areas. Some suggestions were also made to prevent the wrath and evil of the gods from visiting the forested areas. As various cities may have forests, sometimes forested areas were mentioned in the designation of a place, and sometimes it was stated that forests were located in an important part of the city. Forests, which were considered as a sacred place by the Hittites, were recorded in cuneiform documents in many different types of texts.

 Since the earliest times of history, fertile lands have had an important place for every society. This was also the case for the Hittites. Forested areas and the types of trees found in these areas are recorded in Hittite texts. The aim of this article is to analyses and evaluate the issue of forest in the Hittites through Hittite texts. In addition, the words that express the word forest and appear in the cuneiform documents were examined and how they were used in the texts was expressed. In the Hittites, forested areas with various trees were not only considered as a place of material benefits, but also as a sacred place. So much so that the Hittites performed many rituals in forested areas. It is also learnt from the texts that there were officials, bathing houses and some structures consecrated during the rituals in the forested areas. Some suggestions were also made to prevent the wrath and evil of the gods from visiting the forested areas. As various cities may have forests, sometimes forested areas were mentioned in the designation of a place, and sometimes it was stated that forests were located in an important part of the city. Forests, which were considered as a sacred place by the Hittites, were recorded in cuneiform documents in many different types of texts.

 Tarihin en eski devirlerinden beri, her toplum için, verimli topraklar önemli bir yere sahipti. Bu durum, Hititler için de geçerli idi. Ağaçlandırılmış alanlar ve bu alanlarda bulunan ağaç çeşitleri Hititçe metinler aracılığıyla kaydedilmiştir. Bu makalenin amacı, Hititlerde orman konusunu Hitit metinleri üzerinden inceleyip değerlendirmektir. Ayrıca orman kelimesini ifade eden ve çivi yazılı belgelerde geçen sözcükler incelenmiş ve metinlerde nasıl kullanıldıkları ifade edilmiştir. Hititlerde, çeşitli ağaçların bulunduğu ormanlık alanlara sadece maddi getirilerin olduğu bir yer olarak bakılmamış, buralar kutsal bir mekân olarak da kabul edilmiştir. Öyle ki, Hititler ormanlık alanlarda birçok ayin gerçekleştirmiştir. Yine metinlerden ormanlık alanlarda görevlilerin, yıkanma evlerinin ve ayin esnasında kutsanan bazı yapıların olduğu bilgisi öğrenilmektedir. Tanrıların gazap ve kötülüklerinin ormanlık alanlara uğramaması konusunda da bazı telkinlerde bulunulmuştur. Çeşitli şehirlerin ormanları olabileceği gibi, kimi zaman ormanlık alanlardan bir yer belirlenirken söz edilmiş, kimi zaman da ormanların şehrin önemli bir yerinde konumlanmış olduğu ifade edilmiştir. Hititler açısından kutsal bir mekân olarak önem verilen ormanlar, birçok farklı metin türünde, çivi yazılı belgelere kaydedilmiştir.

Article Details

Forest in Hittite texts

Authors:

Hasan Tuncer

Publisher:

Isparta University of Applied Sciences

Main Topics:

Ormancılık (Diğer)

Journal:

Turkish Journal of Forestry Vol.24 Issue 3, pp.309-315

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001300112

pISSN:

2149-3898

Forest

Hittite

Cuneiform

Tree

SacrednessOrman

Hitit

Çiviyazısı

Ağaç

Kutsallık

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Hasan Tuncer

Publisher: Isparta University of Applied Sciences

Main Topics: Ormancılık (Diğer)

Journal: Turkish Journal of Forestry Vol.24 Issue 3, pp.309-315

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 9/2023

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001300112

pISSN: 2149-3898

Issues

Authors:

Hasan Tuncer

Publisher:

Isparta University of Applied Sciences

Main Topics:

Ormancılık (Diğer)

Journal:

Turkish Journal of Forestry Vol.24 Issue 3, pp.309-315

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001300112

pISSN:

2149-3898