Home Religion, Bible & Theology Der Landschaft sein Siegel aufdrücken – hethitische Felsbilder und Hieroglypheninschriften als Ausdruck des herrscherlichen Macht- und Territorialanspruchs
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Der Landschaft sein Siegel aufdrücken – hethitische Felsbilder und Hieroglypheninschriften als Ausdruck des herrscherlichen Macht- und Territorialanspruchs

  • Jürgen Seeher
Published/Copyright: December 4, 2009
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Abstract

Hittite rock reliefs in Anatolia are rare, and they apparently do not occur before the beginning of the 13. century BC. Some of them obviously do bear a religious meaning, but it is noteworthy that almost all of them display the picture and/or the name of a king or a prince. In this article, the extra-urban rock reliefs are interpreted as a demonstration of power, a kind of territorial claim by the royal family. Their models are to be sought with the seals, since their formal execution matches the new standard of the seals reached at that time. Just like with a sealing, the execution of a relief in the countryside confirms word and title of the ruling class, in cases supported by the presence of signs of transcendent power. A little later in time, with the appearance of hieroglyphic inscriptions, an even higher level of communication is reached: the public demonstration of royal power not only here, where the inscription is located, but also in the areas which are mentioned in the text.

Published Online: 2009-12-04
Published in Print: 2009-10

© by Akademie Verlag, Berlin, Germany

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