SOMA 2010
Proceedings of 14th Symposium on
Mediterranean Archaeology
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev,
Kiev, Ukraine, 23–25 April 2010
Edited by
Yana Morozova
Hakan Oniz
BAR International Series 2555
2013
Published by
Archaeopress
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BAR S2555
SOMA 2010: Proceedings of 14th Symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology, Taras Shevchenko National
University of Kiev, Kiev, Ukraine, 23–25 April 2010
© Archaeopress and the individual authors 2013
ISBN 978 1 4073 1176 0
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A new Late-Hittite Sphinx
Sengul Aydıngün and Hasan Karakaya
Kocaeli University, Turkey; Edirne Museum, Turkey
A sphinx relief orthostat (Figs. 1 and 2) was seized on
the Hamzabeyli border on 11 May 2007 and taken to the
Edirne Museum.1 The museum circulated pictures of the
object all over Turkey, with the help of the police and the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism, but no information was
obtained about its possible origins. Our study is an attempt
to provide some helpful data as to where it came from and
when it was carved, based on its stylistic characteristics.
res. 119). Similar depictions of sphinx heads began in Late
Hittite cities at the time of the Aramaic king Barrakab (730
BCE) (Akurgal 1995: şek.104-105).
Our sphinx, in its current form, shows a great resemblance
to the orthostats and bas-reliefs of Sakcagözü (Coba
Höyük), near the village of Keferdiz-Gaziantep, showing
the highest level of Assyrian and Aramaic artistic
influences.
Sphinx (mythological creature)
The two sphinxes registered as A/4 and A/12, positioned
on the two sides of the palace entrance in Sakcagözü are
almost identically styled (Ortmann 1971: 529-532). The
basic difference is that these sphinxes have nine lines of
feathers in their wings instead of seven. Also the line of
pomegranates above the head is missing in the Sakcagözü
example. On the other bas-reliefs the sphinxes are also
shown with the same beard styles, manes and wings.
Measurements: 77 x 84cm
Material: Basaltic-andesite rock
In this second orthostat from Edirne Museum, on the top
line there are fourteen pomegranates tied together; below
there is a walking sphinx with human head, and winged
lion body. The head wears a bell-shaped helmet or hat with
front twisted horns. The head has no neck; the almondshaped eyes and the eyebrows are incised. The wavy
and orderly hair is well trimmed and worn long to the
shoulders and curled at the ends. An ear protrudes from
the two lines of tufts of hair in the front. The moustache is
shown by light, perpendicular incisions and a curly beard
comes down from just below the lower lip. The front of
the lion-shaped body is seemingly covered by mane and
fur, but there is also the suggestion of feathers. This design
continues down the front part of the body. The wings are
formed of six lines of feathers, some lengthy and pointed
towards the rear of the body. The wings are longer than the
body and cover part of the snake-headed tail.
As well as the Sakçagözü orthostats, the sphinx registered
as G/1 from Zincirli (Ortmann 1971:547 G/1 taf. 64/b) is
closely related in style. With the exception of the head,
its wings and body are similar. Even the number of lines
of feathers on the wing is the same. But instead of the hat
with horns and bell-shapes, the Sakçagözü sphinx wears a
crown with flowers. The face is clean shaven.
A statue pedestal, now in the İstanbul Eski Şark Eserleri
Museum and styled in the form of two bas-reliefs of
sphinx-forms, from the Sakcagözü excavations gives us
another comparison. With the exception of their beards,
these creatures are almost identical to our sphinx. The
hairstyle, the ears coming out of the lock of hair, the nose,
large eyes, the shape of the wings, the details of the fur on
the chest, the mane of the lion, the length of the body, the
design of the ribs, the shorter hair underneath the body,
reminiscent of plaits, are all undertaken in a similar style
and fashion.
The ribs consist of five incised lines of incision just below
the wings. The four legs are depicted in a walking position.
On one leg joint a triangle of three beads can be seen.
According to Akurgal, these three beads represent a local
style in south-east Anatolia (Akurgal 1995). The rear legs
are well-muscled from the hip, and from the knee onwards
they show in folds. The sharp claws support the powerful
creature as he walks.
Another sphinx-shaped orthostat comes from Carchemish.
That creature has wings and two heads, one a human and
the other a lion (Orthmann, Woolley, et al., 1914: plt. B.
14, I:10). The example from Edirne differs in the line of
pomegranates and its single head. The Carchemish sphinx,
with its double-horned helmet, shaven and rectangular
face, large nose and the two plaits coming down from
behind the ears, shows the typical characteristics of Hittites
and Luwi. The way the mane and the wings are detailed is
different than the Edirne sphinx. In Edirne the eagle-styled
wing is longer. Also, while the position of the fore legs is
similar, the hind legs are different. Also the claws of the
The composite beast on the orthostat from the Edirne
Museum has its hair and beard arranged in the typical
Assyrian and Aramaic manner. The fact that it has a
moustache and beard goes against Hittite tradition. The
bell-shaped hat and side-lock of hair coming from the front
of the ear show genuine Aramaic features (Akurgal 1995:
Orthostat: large stone blocks at the outer wall of any monumental
structure. This line of stone blocks is generally made of basalt or
limestone.
1
1
SOMA 2010
Zincirli in Contex”, Bulletin of the American Schools
of Oriental Research 356: 15-49
Faist B. and U.Finkbeiner (2002) “Emar, Eine syriche Stad
unter hethitischer Herrschaft”, Die Hethitier und Ihr
Reich Das Volk Der 1000 Götter, Bonn,193,pic.6.
Kohlemeyer K. (2009) The Temple of Strom God in
Aleppo During the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages,
Near Eastern Archeology, 72/4: 190-202
Ortmann W. (1971)Untersuchungen zur spathethitischen
Kunst, Bonn. 529-532.
Özgüç N. (1965) Kültepe Mühür Baskılarında Anadolu
Grubu , Seals and Seal Impresions of Level Ib From
Karum Kanish, Ankara.
Özgüç N. (1968) Kanis Karumu Ib Katı Mühürleri ve
Mühür Baskıları, Seals and Seal Impressions of Level
Ib From Karum Kanish , Ankara.
Özgüç N. and Ö.Tunca (2001) Kültepe Kanis Mühürlü ve
Yazıtlı Kil Bullalar, Sealed and Inscribed Clay Bullae,
Ankara.
Özgüç T. (1978) Maşat Höyük Kazıları ve Çevresindeki
Araştırmalar, Excavations at Maşat Höyük and
Investigations in its Vicinity, TTK, Ankara.
Özgüç T. (1982) Maşat Höyük II, Ankara.
Özgüç T. (2005) Kültepe, YKB, İstanbul.
Scholen, J.D and A.S. Fink (2009a) “New Excavations
at Zincirli Höyük in Turkey (Ancient Sam’al) and
Discovery of Inscribed Mortuary Stele”, Bulletin of
The American Schools of Oriental Research, 356: 1-13.
Scholen,J.D and A.S Fink (2009b) “Searching for Ancient
Sam’al: New Excavations at Zincirli in Turkey,” Near
Eastern Archeology, 72/4:203-219.
Woolley C.L, and T.E.Lawrence, D.G. Hogarth, (1914)
Carchemish Part I, London.
Woolley C.L and T.E. Lawrence,P.L, Guy (1921)
Carchemish Part II, London.
Carchemish sphinx are depicted with more detail. In both
bas-reliefs the creatures are walking on a plane, but the
Edirne Museum orthostat has a shorter plane. In view of the
general craftsmanship, the bas-relief carving of the Edirne
sphinx is different. One puzzling question is that, to our
knowledge, the line of pomegranates is unique and differs
from all artworks coming from the Late Hittites centres. A
pomegranate is encountered only once – on the hand of the
Goddess Kubaba, from Carchemish-Cerablus. According
to Akurgal, the bas-relief of Kupaba from Carchemish had
been carved in the style of Late Hittite Period Traditional
trend II (Akurgal 1995: pic. 95) On the other hand, from
its stylistic differences, Carchemish is not likely to be the
origin of the Edirne Museum sphinx.
It is clear that the sphinx from the Edirne Museum shows
many more southern influences. Another striking parallel
is the winged creature with human head seen on the basrelief decorated terracotta fragments discovered in Emar
(Feist and Finkbeiner 2002: 193, pic. 6).
From all the above, the orthostat from the Edirne museum
can be taken as a Late Hittite object, with a likely date
of 700-730 BCE (end of 8th century BCE), and the
possible place of origin has to be somewhere near today’s
Turkish/Syrian border, from a Late Hittite centre between
Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras.
References
Akurgal E. (1995) Hatti ve Hitit Uygarlıkları, İzmir.
Darga A. M. (1992) Hitit Sanatı, İstanbul.
Erkanal A. (1993) Anadolu’da Bulunan Suriye Kökenli
Mühürler ve Mühür Baskıları, Ankara.
Eudora J. S. and V.R. Herrmann (2009) “An Eternal Feast
at Sam’al: The New Iron Age Mortuary Stele from
2
Sengul Aydingün and Hasan Karakaya: A New Late-Hittite Sphinx
3