Hatay Archaeology Museum

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In the Archaeological Museum of Hatay, you can see the art of the late Hittite kingdoms, which were located in Anatolia. One of the most impressive exhibits is the statue of the ruler of Suppiluliuma, who probably lived in the early 9th century BC. Archaeologists found this statue in 2012 in Tell Tayinat, where the capital of the late Hittite kingdom of Unki, known as the city of Kunulua, used to be. There is a Luwian hieroglyphic inscription on the back of the statue, which tells about the great deeds of the king and calls him by his name – Suppiluliuma. Not as much is known about him as about his predecessors, but he was one of those who initiated the creation of the anti-Assyrian coalition, which was later defeated by King Shalmaneser III. In Assyrian texts, he is referred to as Sapalulme. The eyes of the statue are made according to the tradition of Hittite sculpture: they are inlaid with inserts of white and black stone, which gives the image a special expressiveness. The museum is also famous for its collection of Syro-Hittite reliefs, cylindrical seals, coins, antique ceramics (including imported Attic), as well as Hellenistic and Roman sculptures. However, he is especially known for his antique mosaics, which cover the period from the I to the V centuries. The halls display monuments brought from Daphne, Seleucia, Antioch and Tarsus. Large-scale mosaics impress not only with the technique of execution, but also with a variety of subjects and styles. One of the most memorable exhibits was found in the Daphne suburb of Antioch – a huge mosaic that decorated the floor of the so-called "Buffet House". It is a complex architectural composition, and when looking at it, Pompeian frescoes of 3 and 4 styles are recalled, although here the illusion of architecture adorns the floor, not the walls. The mosaic depicts a three-dimensional edicule with such complex elements as battle reliefs (centauromachia and gigantomachia) and statues of caryatids.

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