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Gezbeli Rock Monument

It is at the mountain-pass known as Gezbeli (Gezbel) about 800 meters north of the Hanyeri village, southeast of Erciyes mountain in the Kayseri province. The relief is carved on a rock wall about 4 meters above the ground level and it is about 2 meters wide. It was first reported by researcher Ali Rıza Yalgın who was the director of Adana Museum. The relief has three parts. On the left a bull is standing on two mountain gods. Above the extended left hand of the better preserved mountain god are some hieroglyphic Luwian signs partially read as "King of Mountains, Sarumma". The male figure in the middle is similar to the one on Hemite relief. His left hand is holding a bow that is hanging on his shoulder. His right hand is extended forward and holding a spear. He is wearing a short tunic and shoes with curved tips and a round hat. In the signs above the raised hand we can read "Son of King.." and a name "Kuwalanamuwa" who is possibly a prince. Kohlmeyer reads the same name at Imamkulu. On the right side there is a symmetrical inscription: "Son of King, (Tarhuntapiya)-mi". It was argued that this inscription on the right may not be a part of the original relief.


Click on pictures for a larger image.

H.Ehringhaus T.Bilgin-2009 H.Ehringhaus K.Domisch K.Bittel
K.Kohlmeyer H.Ehringhaus H.Ehringhaus H.Ehringhaus H.Ehringhaus
Archaologischer Anzeiger H.Ehringhaus H.Th.Bossert



Image sources:
Tayfun Bilgin, Bora Bilgin, Ertuğrul Anıl, 2009.
Horst Ehringhaus. Götter, Herrscher, Inschriften. 2005, Zabern. ISBN 3805334699.
Eberhard Rossner, Die hethitischen Felsreliefs in der Türkei. 1988, ISBN 3924390029, photo K.Domisch.
Kurt Bittel, Die Hethiter, Beck, München 1976, ISBN 3406030246.
Kay Kohlmeyer, "Felsbilder der hethitischen Großreichszeit", Acta Praehistorica et Archaeologica 15, 1983. ISBN 3896467123
Archäologischer Anzeiger, 1940.
Helmuth Th. Bossert, "Das hethitische Felsrelief bei Hanyeri (Gezbeli)", Orientalia NS (OrNS) 23, 1954, pages 129-147.