Karkamish (Carchemish) – Hittite–Neo-Hittite Capital on Euphrates Ford
Karkamish · Carchemish · Jerablus
Late Bronze to Neo-Assyrian (c. 1800 BCE – 605 BCE)·Hittite / Mitanni / Neo-Hittite–Aramaean / Assyrian / Babylonian·🇹🇷 Gaziantep Province / Aleppo, Jerablus (Carablus), Turkey/Syria
About
About Karkamish (Carchemish) – Hittite–Neo-Hittite Capital on Euphrates Ford
Karkamish (Carchemish) – Hittite viceroy capital, Neo-Hittite–Aramaean kingdom, and 605 BCE Nebuchadnezzar vs Necho battle ford where Euphrates narrows to 300 m. Its river harbour/quay (40 m limestone orthostat wall) on Euphrates palaeochannel handled tin, cedar and Assyrian grain, now 1 km west due to Euphrates meander shift + Syrian dam lake (Tishrin). Woolley's 1911–1914 and British Museum 2011– excavations uncovered harbour orthostats (storm-god Teshub), Outer Town harbour gate and Neo-Hittite hieroglyphic harbour inscription. The lower town harbour mud underlies 3 m alluvium.
Why it mattersOnly Euphrates ford harbour capital preserving Hittite–Neo-Hittite orthostat harbour gate and Tishrin lake meander shift.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Exact Euphrates palaeomeander shift rate
- 02Whether harbour orthostats are quay vs town wall
Theories
- 01Battle of Carchemish 605 BCE biblical turning point
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- City MBA; Hittite viceroy palace 14th c. BCE; harbour gate 9th c. BCE
- Period
- Late Bronze to Neo-Assyrian (c. 1800 BCE – 605 BCE)
- Culture
- Hittite / Mitanni / Neo-Hittite–Aramaean / Assyrian / Babylonian
- Purpose
- Euphrates ford toll and metal–cedar transshipment – Karkamish orthostat sculpture atelier
- Abandoned
- 605 BCE battle + 604 BCE Babylonian sack
- Rediscovered
- Woolley 1911–14; Hogarth & Lawrence; Wilkinson 2011–
- Excavation
- Buried
City MBA; Hittite viceroy palace 14th c. BCE; harbour gate 9th c. BCE
Initial construction
c. 1001 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
36.8280° N · 38.0150° E · 335 m · 3 mapped features
Karkamish Harbour Quay Orthostats (40 m)
harbourOrthostat quay wall 40 m with Teshub relief – harbour gate river front
36.8285° N · 38.0145° EOuter Town Harbour Gate
gateSouth harbour gate with Neo-Hittite hieroglyphic harbour inscription – river entrance
36.8275° N · 38.0155° EEuphrates Ford Narrows (300 m)
fordEuphrates ford narrows 300 m – military and caravan ford crossing
36.8290° N · 38.0160° E
Gallery