The ancient bilingual inscriptions discovered at the Karatepe-Aslantaş open-air museum in Osmaniye province in southern Türkiye have recently been officially added to the UNESCO Memory of the World International Register. Dating back approximately 2,800 years to the ancient Cilician period, these inscriptions are written in Anatolian hieroglyphics and Phoenician letters and are currently on display at the Karatepe-Aslantaş Open-Air Museum, which is inscribed on the UNESCO Tentative World Heritage List.
Having these inscriptions added to the UNESCO register once again highlights the importance of Türkiye's determined efforts to preserve its rich cultural heritage. In UNESCO's statement, the Karatepe-Aslantaş inscriptions were described as "an early example of the genre of 'deeds,' documenting the achievements of a ruler."
The statement included the following remarks:
“These inscriptions are linguistically unprecedented, as they contain some of the oldest known long texts in Phoenician (Semitic) and the local Luwian language. These writing systems form the foundation of today's alphabets." Additionally, the "emotional bond between the local community and Karatepe" has been emphasised.
The Karatepe-Aslantaş Open-Air Museum is about 24 kilometres east of Kadirli district in Osmaniye province, within the boundaries of the national park bearing the same name. This area was a border fortress belonging to the city-state of Adanawa (Hiyawa), which existed in Anatolia during the Late Hittite period. It was built in the 8th century BC at the behest of King Azatiwada, who described himself as the "lord of the country", to serve as protection against raids from the north. The fortress is estimated to have been destroyed and burnt by the Assyrians around 700 BC.
Karatepe-Aslantaş has gained significant importance in the field of archaeology, particularly due to the discovery of bilingual inscriptions written in Phoenician and Luwian. These inscriptions, found on richly decorated basalt steles and reliefs, are among the longest bilingual texts in these languages to be discovered and played a key role in the decipherment of Luwian hieroglyphs. The inscriptions were instrumental not only in unlocking the secrets of the Hittite language but also in preserving Neo-Hittite history, contributing to the understanding of the Eastern Mediterranean's socio-political structure during the Iron Age.
The texts describe in detail the fortifications built by King Azatiwada, which are said to have brought economic and political stability to the region, creating an environment in which women could play an active role in social life.
Another distinctive feature of Karatepe-Aslantaş is the pioneering conservation work carried out by the renowned Turkish archaeologist Halet Çambel in the 1950s. Under Çambel's leadership, the first steps were taken to protect the sculptures and reliefs, protective structures were built, and the area was registered as a historical national park. This practice is recognised as one of the first examples of on-site conservation and site management in Türkiye. Thanks to these efforts, the "Karatepe-Aslantaş Archaeological Site" was inscribed on the UNESCO Tentative World Heritage Site list in 2020.
Today, the Karatepe-Aslantaş Open-Air Museum continues to impress its visitors with its history dating back thousands of years. This historical wealth is revealed by the monumental gates with high towers, the magnificent statue of the storm god situated on a pedestal depicting two bulls, the reliefs of lions and sphinxes carved on the inner walls of the gates, the reliefs depicting the beliefs and lifestyles of the period, and the aforementioned inscriptions. There is also an indoor museum building where artefacts discovered on the Karatepe and Domuztepe hills are exhibited. As the open-air museum is located within the borders of a national park that also includes natural landmarks such as the Aslantaş Dam reservoir, it offers both historical and natural treasures to visitors. It also provides a suitable environment for observing the region's fauna.