29.03.2024

Anatolian stone slab tells of Trojan prince and Sea People

A 3,200-year-old Anatolian stone slab that describes a warring Trojan prince has finally been deciphered more than 135 years after it was first discovered.

The inscription tells of the rise of a powerful kingdom called Mira, which started a military campaign spearheaded by a prince called Muksus from Troy.

The story details a time when a confederation that modern-day scholars call the Sea People laid waste to cities and civilisations across the Middle East.

The kingdom of Mira, which joined this military conquest, seems to have been part of the seafaring group.

According to the cryptic symbols, the kingdom had a decisive hand in the Sea Peoples’ invasions, and so helped end the Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean.

However, several scholars have raised concerns that the inscriptions might be fake.

Because the slab itself was destroyed in the 19th Century, the modern deciphering is based off of copies supposedly drawn by scholars at the time.

A 3,200-year-old stone slab (pictured) that describes a warring Trojan prince and refers to the mysterious ‘Sea People’ of the Mediterranean has been deciphered. The stone inscription, which was once 95 feet (29 meters) long, is written in an ancient language called Luwian

THE INSCRIPTION

The inscription tells of how Mira, which was located in what is now western Turkey and controlled Troy itself, was ruled by a King Kupantakuruntas.

Prince Muksus, a Trojan prince, led a naval expedition for Mira that conquered Ashkelon, now in modern-day Israel, and built a fortress there, the inscription claims.

The text tells of King Kupantakuruntas’ rise to the throne of Mira.

After a Trojan king named Walmus was overthrown, Kupantakuruntas’ father King Mashuittas seized control of Troy.

Mashuittas quickly reinstated Walmus to the throne of the Bronze Age city in exchange for his loyalty to Mira, according to the inscription.

Once his father died, Kupantakuruntas became king of Mira, though he was never the official king of Troy.

The ancient leader instead describes himself as a guardian of Troy in the text, asking future rulers to ‘guard Wilusa an ancient name for Troy (like) the great king (of) Mira (did).’

The stone inscription, which was once 95 feet (29 meters) long, is written in an ancient language called Luwian that only a handful of people can read today.

Some estimates list that just 20 scholars today can read the ancient Anatolian writing system, which uses complex hieroglyphs to depict stories.

Independent Dutch linguist Dr Fred Woudhuizen, based near Amsterdam, has now worked with other researchers to decipher the text 139 years after it was first discovered.

Live Science spoke to several scholars not affiliated with the research, and some expressed concern that the inscription is a modern-day forgery.

But Dr Woudhuizen and his associates claimed it would be it ‘extremely difficult, if not impossible’ for someone to create such a long and complex fake because so few people can read the ancient language.

The inscription tells of how Mira, which was located in what is now western Turkey and controlled Troy itself, was ruled by a King Kupantakuruntas.

Prince Muksus, a Trojan prince, led a naval expedition for Mira that conquered Ashkelon, now in modern-day Israel, and built a fortress there, the inscription claims.

The text tells of King Kupantakuruntas’ rise to the throne of Mira.

After a Trojan king named Walmus was overthrown, Kupantakuruntas’ father King Mashuittas seized control of Troy.

Mashuittas quickly reinstated Walmus to the throne of the Bronze Age city in exchange for his loyalty to Mira, according to the inscription.

Once his father died, Kupantakuruntas became king of Mira, though he was never the official king of Troy.

The ancient leader instead describes himself as a guardian of Troy in the text, asking future rulers to ‘guard Wilusa an ancient name for Troy (like) the great king (of) Mira (did).’

The inscription tells of how Mira, which was located in what is now western Turkey and controlled Troy itself (ruins pictured), was ruled by a King Kupantakuruntas. Prince Muksus, a Trojan prince, led an expedition for Mira that conquered Ashkelon, now in modern-day Israel

The inscription tells of how Mira, which was located in what is now western Turkey and controlled Troy itself (ruins pictured), was ruled by a King Kupantakuruntas. Prince Muksus, a Trojan prince, led an expedition for Mira that conquered Ashkelon, now in modern-day Israel

The 35-cm (13.5′) tall limestone frieze was found back in 1878 in the village of Beyköy, roughly 21 miles (34km) north of Afyonkarahisar in modern Turkey.

It bears the longest known hieroglyphic inscription from the Bronze Age.

Soon after local peasants retrieved the stones from the ground, French archaeologist Georges Perrot was able to carefully copy the inscription.

However, the villagers subsequently used the stones as building material for the foundation of their mosque.

Since 1950, Luwian hieroglyphs could be read thanks to the formation of a Turkish/American team of experts.

HISTORY OF THE ANATOLIAN SLAB

The 35-cm (13.5′) tall limestone frieze was found back in 1878 in the village of Beyköy, roughly 21 miles (34km) north of Afyonkarahisar in modern Turkey.

It bears the longest known hieroglyphic inscription from the Bronze Age.

Soon after local peasants retrieved the stones from the ground, French archaeologist Georges Perrot was able to carefully copy the inscription.

However, the villagers subsequently used the stones as building material for the foundation of their mosque.

Since 1950, Luwian hieroglyphs could be read thanks to the formation of a Turkish/American team of experts.

The group worked to to translate this and other inscriptions that during the 19th century had made their way into the collections of the Ottoman Empire.

However, the publication of the slab’s translation was delayed several times until all the researchers involved in the project had died around 1985.

Copies of these inscriptions resurfaced recently in the estate of the English prehistorian James Mellaart, who died in 2012.

In June 2017, Mellaart’s son Alan handed over this part of the legacy to the Swiss geoarcheologist Dr Eberhard Zangger, president of the Luwian Studies foundation, to edit and publish the material in due course.

The inscription was commissioned by Kupanta-Kurunta, the Great King of Mira, a Late Bronze Age state in western Anatolia. Just before 1190 BC, Kupanta-Kurunta ordered his armies to storm toward the east against the vassal states of the Hittites, including Troy (ruins pictured)

The inscription was commissioned by Kupanta-Kurunta, the Great King of Mira, a Late Bronze Age state in western Anatolia. Just before 1190 BC, Kupanta-Kurunta ordered his armies to storm toward the east against the vassal states of the Hittites, including Troy (ruins pictured)

The group worked to to translate this and other inscriptions that during the 19th century had made their way into the collections of the Ottoman Empire.

However, the publication of the slab’s translation was delayed several times until all researchers involved in the project had died around 1985.

Copies of these inscriptions resurfaced recently in the estate of the English prehistorian James Mellaart, who died in 2012.

In June 2017, Mellaart’s son Alan handed over this part of the legacy to the Swiss geoarcheologist Dr Eberhard Zangger, president of the Luwian Studies foundation, to edit and publish the material in due course.

WHO WERE THE SEA PEOPLE?

The Sea Peoples are a mysterious seafaring confederation that attacked ancient Egypt and other regions of the eastern Mediterranean during the Late Bronze Age between 1200 and 900 BC.

The concept was created in the 19th Century and quickly became one of the most famous chapters in Egyptian history.

The origin of the group is uncertain, with scholars suggesting they originated from places including western Anatolia, the Mediterranean islands and southern Europe.

Although archaeological inscriptions do not describe a migration, the Sea People are believed to have sailed the eastern Mediterranean.

On their journey they invaded Anatolia, Syria, Cyprus, Egypt, and several other places before the end of the Bronze Age.

The Sea Peoples are a mysterious seafaring confederation that attacked ancient Egypt and other regions of the eastern Mediterranean during the Late Bronze Age between 1200 and 900 BC. Pictured is an Egyptian wall frieze depicting the Sea People

The full academic publication of the inscription will appear in December 2017 in the Proceedings of the Dutch Archaeological and Historical Society.

Alongside Dr Zangger, Dr Woudhuizen will present a transcription, a translation, a detailed commentary, and the history of the find.

The inscription and a summary of its contents also appear in a book by Dr Zangger that was published in Germany this week: Die Luwier und der Trojanische Krieg – Eine Forschungsgeschichte.

According to Zangger, the inscription was commissioned by Kupanta-Kurunta, the Great King of Mira, a Late Bronze Age state in western Anatolia.

The 35-cm (13.5') tall limestone frieze was found back in 1878 in the village of Beyköy, roughly 21 miles (34km) north of Afyonkarahisar in modern Turkey

The 35-cm (13.5′) tall limestone frieze was found back in 1878 in the village of Beyköy, roughly 21 miles (34km) north of Afyonkarahisar in modern Turkey

WHO COMMISSIONED THE SLAB?

Experts claim the inscription was commissioned by Kupanta-Kurunta, the Great King of Mira, a Late Bronze Age state in western Anatolia.

When Kupanta-Kurunta had reinforced his realm, just before 1190 BC, he ordered his armies to storm toward the east against the vassal states of the Hittites.

After successful conquests on land, the united forces of western Anatolia also formed a fleet and invaded a number of coastal cities in the south and southeast of Anatolia, as well as in Syria and Palestine.

Four great princes commanded the naval forces, among them Muksus from the Troad, the region of ancient Troy.

Luwians – a now extinct Anatolian culture – from western Anatolia advanced all the way to the borders of Egypt, and even built a fortress at Ashkelon in southern Palestine.

When Kupanta-Kurunta had reinforced his realm, just before 1190 BC, he ordered his armies to storm toward the east against the vassal states of the Hittites.

After successful conquests on land, the united forces of western Anatolia also formed a fleet and invaded a number of coastal cities in the south and southeast of Anatolia, as well as in Syria and Palestine.

Four great princes commanded the naval forces, among them Muksus from the Troad, the region of ancient Troy.

Luwians – Luwians – a now extinct Anatolian culture – from western Anatolia advanced all the way to the borders of Egypt, and even built a fortress at Ashkelon in southern Palestine.

IS THE INSCRIPTION REAL?

Several scholars have raised concerns that the inscriptions might be fake.

Because the slab itself was destroyed in the 19th Century, the modern deciphering is based off of copies supposedly drawn by scholars at the time.

But because the copy came from James Mellaart after the rest of his American/Turkish team had died, experts have raised concerns that it is a modern forgery.

They say that until records of the copy are found that were not left by Mr Mellaart, we cannot be sure the inscriptions are real.

But the experts who have deciphered the text claimed it would be it ‘extremely difficult, if not impossible’ for someone to create such a long and complex fake.

This is because so few people can read the ancient Luwian language it is written in.

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