Hittite Language

Hittite is an extinct language that is considered the earliest Indo-European language. The Old Testament referenced the language and its people as the enemies of Israel. Little was known about the Hittites beyond the references from the Bible and a few Egyptian records until the late nineteenth century.

The language was rediscovered when Hittite cuneiform tablets were unearthed at Boğazköy in modern-day Turkey in the late nineteenth century. In 1884, Irish missionary William Wright realized that some of the cuneiform tablets were written in an unfamiliar language. By 1906, German archaeologist Hugo Winckler had unearthed ten thousand clay tablets from what was discovered to be the Hittite royal archives. The tablets contained information about their society, politics, social structure, economy, and religion.

Egyptian records show that the Hittite civilization and their rulers were viewed with equal respect and diplomacy as the Egyptian pharaohs. The Hittite empire collapsed in the thirteenth century BCE.

History and Classification

Hittite is classified as a member of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family. Related to Luwian and Palaic, it is theorized that Hittite is also related to Lydian, Lycian, and Carian. The Hittites had adopted cuneiform from the Akkadians as a system of writing. Approximately 375 signs were taken from the Akkadians, and these signs can be categorized into phonograms, logograms, and determinatives.

The Hittites entered Anatolia before 2000 BCE from modern-day southern Russia and Ukraine. Previous inhabitants of the region were called the Hatti as well as Assyrians. The Hittite capital was established at Hattusa, in Turkish known as Boğazköy. Anitta, an early ruler, conquered and captured Hattusa in the late eighteenth century, but did not form a dynasty. He left records of his deeds, and beyond that the Hittite leadership was often in turmoil over succession.

The Old Kingdom lasted from 1650 BCE to about 1500 BCE, followed by the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom from 1400 BCE to the early thirteenth century. Not much is known about the era of the Middle Kingdom, but extensive records survive detailing the dynastic struggles and consolidation efforts of rulers such as Hattusilis I, Mursilis I, and Suppiluliumas I. It was during the reign of Hattusilis I and his wife, Puduhepa, that Hattusa was rebuilt and the national archives recopied. Over the course of their domination, the Hittites conquered most of central Anatolia and established an empire. The empire was marked not only with internal strife, dynastic assassination, and treason but also with conquest, international communications and treaties, and commerce.

The Hittite Empire collapsed around 1200 BCE because of internal political difficulties and external conquest. The capital at Boğazköy was burned, and the region was fragmented, remaining that way for four centuries. A few neo-Hittite city-states arose that were led by members of the aristocracy, but the Hittite language was passed over in favor of Hieroglyphic Luwian. Hittite faded into obscurity and disuse, ultimately abandoned for languages such as Lycian and Luwian.

Hittite law texts are organized into two series. The first is known as "If a man…" and the second as "If a vineyard." The titles are from the opening words of each text. Hittite religious poetry reflects Hattic influences, and Hittite mythology also shows Hattic and Hurrian influences. The Hittite language encountered many other tongues that left linguistic impressions, such as Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, Hattie, Hurrian, and Luwian. Scholars theorize that Babylonian scribes were used in the royal court in order to create the cuneiform transcriptions. One of the first Hittite texts in cuneiform was composed in the reign of Hattusilis as the king lamented the treachery of his three sons, commenting on their infidelity and disappointment as his successors.

Geographic Distribution and Modern Usage

The Hittite Empire and its language are from northcentral Anatolia, a part of modern-day Turkey. Anatolia is often described as a crossroads territory because it is a peninsula that bridges Asia and Europe. Also called Asia Minor, the region has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Period and passage was necessary for cross-continent migration and conquest.

Hittite is recognized as the earliest Indo-European language. Hittite provides scholars with information about not only ancient civilizations but also about the formation of these Indo-European languages. The Hittites called their own language Nesite, and they founded several cities other than Hattusa. They were a largely agricultural society, but the Hittites were also skilled metalworkers and warriors. The Hittites had briefly annexed Assyria and sacked Babylon in the sixteenth century BCE, but were forced to withdraw against Egyptian and Mitanni forces. The expansionist peak of the Hittite Empire was under King Suppiluliumas, who not only centralized his power in Anatolia but also conquered northern Syria and the Levant in 1325 BCE.

In the twenty-first century, Hittites and their language are mostly recognized from their role in the Christian Bible. They are mentioned in Joshua 3:10, which gives them the name "Hittite" and identifies Uriah, husband of Bathsheba, as a Hittite. The study of the Indo-European linguistic family as a whole was greatly expanded after the archaeological find at Boğazköy. One Hittite cuneiform tablet that was recreated and enlarged now hangs at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. It depicts a peace treaty brokered by Hattusilis III and the Egyptian pharaoh Rameses II after the Battle of Kadesh. The tablet symbolizes the ability for international communication and peace, dating back to Earth's earliest civilizations.

Bibliography

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Dalby, Andrew. Dictionary of Languages: The Definitive Reference to More than 400 Languages. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004. Print.

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"Hittite." Omniglot. Simon Ager. Web. 28 Aug. 2015. http://www.omniglot.com/writing/hittite.htm

Lehmann, Winfred P. and Jonathan Slocum. "Hittite Online: Series Introduction." Linguistics Research Center. University of Texas at Austin. Web. 28 Aug. 2015. http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/eieol/hitol-0-X.html

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