The dissertation examines the written sources for the Hittite city of Nerik in Northern Anatolia, which has for many years been connected with the site of Oymaağaç Höyük.

Nerik is referred to in countless texts of various genres, most of which come from the Hittite capital at Ḫattuša and date from the 16th to the 12th century BC. The study focuses on analyzing the historical sources in order to provide a fuller picture of the history of Nerik. This history is intimately connected with the history of another population group known as the Kashkeans, whose frequent raids and incursions often impeded travel through the region. What impact this population group actually had on the region and how intense the conflicts between Hittites and Kashkeans actually was remains unclear. The discussion thus inevitably focuses on the reconquest and reconstruction of the city described in the propagandistic sources of king Ḫattušili III. In order to re-evaluate the value of these sources, the study examines the so-called cultic inventories, which describe the religious activities in the various cities of the empire. The evidence from these sources is then compared with the description of cultic activities related to Nerik in order to provide a fuller picture of the festivals at Nerik itself. The study will then attempt to position Nerik in the context of the most important state festivals of Ḫatti and to reconstruct the local ceremonies of the city.

 

The main goal of the project is to provide a comprehensive description of the city of Nerik.

 

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Jörg Klinger, Prof. Dr. Kay Kohlmeyer (HTW Berlin)