Ankara The rectangular basalt block was first published in 1927 after it was noticed in Ankara Citadel among other archaeological artifacts. Its provenance is unknown, but a Karkamış origin has been suspected. It appears to be the middle section of a monument that originally had inscriptions on all four sides. The preserved part is roughly 0.35 m high, 0.45 m wide and 0.33 m thick. Three lines of an incised Hieroglyphic Luwian inscription that surrounds the block are visible on three sides. The fourth side is entirely damaged. Preserved text is a typical curse formula that threatens those who may damage the inscription with the wrath of gods. On account of its paleography a date in the mid-8th century BCE has been suggested. The block is in the Anatolian Civilizations Museum in Ankara, but not on display. Click on the picture for a larger image.

Literature:
Hawkins, J. D. Corpus of Hieroglyphic Luwian Inscriptions, Vol 1, Berlin, de Gruyter, 2000: 559–61 and plt. 318.

Image sources:
J. David Hawkins, 2000.