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Kurunta Monument
It was announced by Dr. Ali Dinçol (Arkeoloji ve Sanat 73, 1996) that in the village of Hatip about 17 km south of Karahöyük in Konya province, a rock relief rather like the Karabel monument has been found. The relief and the hieroglyphic inscriptions are carved on a flattened rock surface of about 5 meters by 2 meters. The relief shows a Hittite king or god striding to the right. In his outstretched left hand is a vertical spear. On his head is a tall, conical hat. Over his right shoulder he has a bow. He wears a kilt and a short sword stuck in his belt. On his feet are shoes with curly pointed toes. The hat, curly shoes, curled up ends of tunic, spear in hand, short sword in belt display great similarities to some other Hittite monuments, such as Gavurkale and Karabel. However the short sleeves of the tunic is unique to this relief. About a meter behind the relief is the inscription: "Kurunta, Great King, Hero, son of Muwatalli, Great King, Hero." Dinçol indicates the conical hat has horns in front, therefore it should represent a Hittite god rather than Kurunta.
Kurunta (Ulmi-Teup) was one of the two sons of Muwatalli II. After Muwatalli's death, the other son (Urhi-Teup) had become king taking the name Mursili (III). But after only a few years, with the help of Kurunta, their uncle Hattusili III replaced Urhi-Teup as the Hittite king. Kurunta was rewarded with an appanage state based on his father's new capital Tarhuntassa. After the death of Hattusili III, his son Tudhaliya IV and Kurunta possibly had a conflict on the kingship.
37°45.910 N - 32°24.150 E Google Earth location (exact)
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