Uşaklı Höyük
Usakli Hoyuk · Uşaklı · Zippalanda?
MBA → LBA Hittite → Iron → Byzantine (2000 BCE–1400 CE)·Hittite (Kizzuwatna?) → Phrygian → Byzantine·🇹🇷 Yozgat Province, Sorgun District, Kerkenes foothills, Turkey
About
About Uşaklı Höyük
Uşaklı Höyük is a large Late Bronze–Iron Age tell + lower town candidate for Hittite holy city Zippalanda, excavated since 2008 by Mazzoni & D'Agostino (Florence/Pisa) with Yozgat Museum. 10 ha Hittite lower town with 2 km fort wall, 1st millennium Phrygian then Byzantine reoccupation. Monumental LB building (Temple B) with Hittite cuneiform tablet fragment and Kassite seal, extensive Iron Age pits. Mound 15 m high documenting Hittite north-central plateau administration and cult.
Why it mattersStrongest Zippalanda candidate providing north-central plateau Hittite cult centre and LB–Iron continuity.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Tablet proves Zippalanda or just visiting scribe?
- 02Temple B Storm God vs other deity?
Theories
- 01Mazzoni cult vs Gurney administrative capital
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.1700 BCE Hittite founding; LB monumental 1400–1200 BCE
- Period
- MBA → LBA Hittite → Iron → Byzantine (2000 BCE–1400 CE)
- Culture
- Hittite (Kizzuwatna?) → Phrygian → Byzantine
- Builders
- Hittite cult administration, Phrygian resettlers
- Purpose
- Cultic administrative centre (Zippalanda of Storm God) and plateau fortress
- Abandoned
- c.1200 BCE Hittite collapse contraction, Iron reoccupation
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 2008– Mazzoni/D'Agostino Yozgat
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c.1700
Initial founding
2015
Synthesis publication for Uşaklı Höyük
On the ground
Structures & features
39.8000° N · 35.2000° E · 1080 m · 3 mapped features
Temple B (monumental)
templeLB temple with Hittite tablet fragment
39.8015° N · 35.2010° ELower town fort wall
fortification2 km Hittite Iron Age circuit wall
39.7988° N · 35.1992° EPhrygian pits (upper)
pitIron Age reoccupation pits
39.8008° N · 35.1985° E