Niğde Stele
| Niğde Stele | |
|---|---|
Nigde, Turkey |
The Niğde Stele is a
Neo-Hittite monument from the modern Turkish city of Niğde
, which dates from the end of the 8th century BC.
Discovery
The stele was found on 24 September 1975 near the citadel of Niğde in the Çelebi Hüsamettin Bey Mosque (now Dışarı Camii), where it was reused, carved side down, as a step in front of the entrance to the mosque.[1] It is now in the Niğde Archaeological Museum (inventory no. 22.1.75).
Description
The black basalt stele is 2.18 metres high and about a metre wide and belongs to a type which developed in the 10th century BC. It depicts the weather god
solar disk
, a traditional symbol of the ruler, hovers over his head.
On the right edge of the stone block is an inscription in
Warpalawas
:
This Tarhunzas Muwaharanis [ma]de (?), the Hero, the King, loved by Tarhunzas (and) the gods, the son of Warpalawas, the Ruler, the Hero.[1]
Muwaharanis succeeded his father Warpalawas on the throne of the late Luwian kingdom of
bilingual Azatiwada inscription at Karatepe.[1]
References
- ^ ISBN 311010864-X.
Bibliography
- ISBN 9780521242899