3,500-Year-Old Ancient Tableware Unearthed in Turkey’s Karahöyük: A Glimpse into Hittite Daily Life

Archaeologists in central Turkey have made a discovery that offers a rare glimpse into the daily life, trade, and rituals of the Hittite civilization. During excavations at Karahöyük, located in the Meram district of Konya, researchers unearthed a 3,500-year-old set of tableware, including a pitcher, a clover-shaped spouted jug, a plate, and a handled cup.

The excavation team, working under the permission of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and led by Assoc. Prof. Gonca Dardeniz Arıkan of Istanbul University’s Faculty of Letters, identified the artifacts inside what is believed to have been a public or communal structure dating to the Old Hittite period.

Daily Life Frozen in Time

The find is considered extraordinary because it provides archaeologists with one of the clearest examples of a domestic dining set from the second millennium BCE. While monumental temples and palaces of the Hittites have been studied for decades, items related to everyday meals and household activities are far less frequently discovered intact.

“The pitcher, plate, and cup were not just utilitarian objects,” Arıkan explained. “They are silent witnesses of how people ate, drank, and shared their lives in the Hittite world. These objects give us a rare chance to reconstruct social practices from thousands of years ago.”

Rituals, Trade, and Childhood

The Karahöyük excavations have uncovered more than tableware. Over recent years, archaeologists have brought to light:

• Cremation burials, shedding light on funerary traditions.
• Bull figurines and goddess statuettes, reflecting the spiritual beliefs of the time.
• Children’s toys, which reveal how even the youngest members of society engaged with play and imagination.

One of the most striking discoveries of this excavation season has been silver sheets wrapped in cloth. Scholars believe these sheets once belonged to a local merchant, serving as a form of portable wealth or capital. “This discovery highlights the complexity of Hittite trade networks and the role of merchants in society,” said Arıkan.

The Mystery of Infant Burials

Excavations at Karahöyük have also revealed more than 60 infant burials, a finding that continues to puzzle archaeologists. While infant mortality was tragically common in ancient societies, the concentration of child burials in this area suggests that specific cultural or ritual practices may have been at play. Each grave provides critical data for understanding family life, medical knowledge, and religious traditions in the Late Bronze Age.

Restoration and Museum Plans

Many of the artifacts are currently undergoing careful restoration. Specialists are cleaning, preserving, and preparing them for public display. Once ready, several of the most significant finds—including the 3,500-year-old tableware set—are expected to be exhibited in regional museums, offering the public a rare chance to connect with the everyday world of the Hittites.

Why Karahöyük Matters

Karahöyük is one of the most important archaeological mounds in central Anatolia, lying in a region that was a crossroads of civilizations for thousands of years. The site has revealed layers of occupation spanning centuries, providing scholars with a continuous record of settlement, trade, and cultural exchange.

The Hittite Empire, which flourished between 1650 and 1200 BCE, controlled much of Anatolia and northern Syria. Known for their advanced legal systems, diplomacy, and monumental architecture, the Hittites were one of the great powers of the Late Bronze Age, rivaling Egypt, Babylonia, and Mycenaean Greece.

Discoveries like those at Karahöyük help scholars move beyond royal archives and treaties, instead offering insights into the daily lives of ordinary Hittite citizens—how they ate, worshiped, traded, and raised their children.

Expert Perspectives

According to Dr. Arıkan, the findings not only enrich our understanding of Hittite domestic culture but also have the potential to reshape broader interpretations of ancient Anatolian society:

“What we find in Karahöyük is not only about the Hittites. It tells us about cultural continuity in Anatolia—how traditions of dining, rituals, and trade were passed from one generation to another and even influenced neighboring civilizations.”

A Window into the Bronze Age

As excavation continues, archaeologists hope to uncover more intact household items, religious artifacts, and records of trade that will help reconstruct life in Karahöyük 3,500 years ago. Each artifact adds another piece to the puzzle of how one of the world’s most influential ancient civilizations lived and interacted.

For now, the discovery of the ancient tableware set stands as a reminder that history is not only told through kings and conquests but also through the plates, cups, and pitchers that ordinary people once used in their homes.

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