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Malkaya Rock Inscriptions

Malkaya (Mal Kaya, Malkayası) is situated on Emirburnu hill between the villages of Sevdiğin and Kale, about 12-15 km northwest of Kırşehir. The Hittite inscriptions are located on four sides of a flat-top, roughly rectangular shaped rock standing alone in a barren pasture. Some parts of it appear to have been damaged by treasure hunters, but the the inscriptions on the northside are best preserved. The most of the study on the rock was done by H.T. Bossert. He believes the main inscription is the one on the northside which is on a better flattened surface. The other surfaces are speculated to be made later, like as visitor scriblings of the site. Bossert's translation indicates the name of a Hittite prince as "Tu-ziti". Same name also appears in Boğazköy archives on some seals but there are no references as a prince. Malkaya inscription also mentions a family name as "Tameti" which appears to be insterted later on. Furthermore text includes several proto-Hittite and Hurrian names, such as a proto-Hittite divinity "Timmet". Based on such findings it is thought that the monument cannot be from anytime later than imperial time (14th-13th centuries BC) and believed to be something like a road monument. Ehringhaus reports extensive damage to the rock by treasure hunters.

39°09'21 N - 34°00'09 E Google Earth location (approximate)


Click on pictures for a larger image.

E.Rossner West and southwest face - H.Ehringhaus Detail from west side - H.Ehringhaus Holes on the south side - H.Ehringhaus Damage by explosives on the top side - H.Ehringhaus



Image sources:
Eberhard Rossner, Die hethitischen Felsreliefs in der Türkei. 1988, ISBN 3924390029.
Horst Ehringhaus. Götter, Herrscher, Inschriften. 2005, Zabern. ISBN 3805334699.