Uşaklı Höyük (candidate Zippalanda)
Uşaklı Höyük · Uşaklı · Usakli Hoyuk · Zippalanda
Early Bronze to Iron Age (3000–600 BCE; Hittite peak 1400–1200 BCE)·Hattian → Hittite → Phrygian·🇹🇷 Yozgat Province, Sorgun District, Uşaklı village, Turkey
About
About Uşaklı Höyük (candidate Zippalanda)
Large Hittite regional centre (10 ha mound + lower terrace) on Eğri Öz Dere south bank, 20 km south of Sorgun, argued since 2012 to be Zippalanda — great storm-god cult city and Hittite queen's ritual circuit. Italian excavations (Mazzoni, D'Agostino, Pisa since 2008) exposed Building II (Late Bronze palatial courtyard with Hittite cuneiform letters, festival lists and sealings of Tudhaliya IV), Building III temple of Storm God of Zippalanda, and EBA–MBA glacis. Located 1 day's march from Hattusa–Karakhöyük axis.
Why it mattersStrongest Zippalanda candidate; palace letters fill Hattusa northern administration gap; storm-god temple confirms cult geography.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Is Uşaklı = Zippalanda or = Ankuwa? Text on Mt Daha (Kerkenes) bearing?
Theories
- 01Queen's Zippalanda pilgrimage route anchored here via Kerkenes Daha
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3000 BCE (EBA) ; Hittite city c.1700–1180 BCE
- Period
- Early Bronze to Iron Age (3000–600 BCE; Hittite peak 1400–1200 BCE)
- Culture
- Hattian → Hittite → Phrygian
- Builders
- Hittite administration (Muwatalli II–Tudhaliya IV)
- Purpose
- Religious and administrative hub of northern plateau; storm-god temple and palace
- Abandoned
- c.1180 BCE then Phrygian reoccupation
- Rediscovered
- 2008 Italian survey; excavated 2012– (Pisa)
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c.1400 BCE
Building III temple founded
c.1220 BCE
Festival letters sealed in Building II
2012
Tablet fragment naming 'Zippalanda' cult identified
On the ground
Structures & features
39.8131° N · 35.0526° E · 1120 m · 2 mapped features
Building II palace
palaceCourtyard palace with tablet storeroom
39.8133° N · 35.0528° EBuilding III temple
templeStorm God temple with altar and offering benches
39.8129° N · 35.0524° E
Gallery