The Hittites

Famed for their skill in battle, the Hittites flourished in central Anatolia from the seventeenth to the thirteenth century BCE. They were much more than a military power, however – their religion held particular reverence for the sun and storms that provided fertility to their land, and their eclectic art produced some of the most unique rock-cut relief carvings of the Bronze Age. The Hittites is a fine introduction to the culture and art of this vibrant civilization. The book narrates the colourful succession of Hittite kings and their queens, complete with assassinations, intrigues and an evil stepmother banished for witchcraft. It also looks at the Hittite language, the first known example of the Indo-European language from which English descends, and considers the Hittites’ legacy today.

Famed for their skill in battle, the Hittites flourished in central Anatolia from the seventeenth to the thirteenth century BCE. They were much more than a military power, however – their religion held particular reverence for the sun and storms that provided fertility to their land, and their eclectic art produced some of the most unique rock-cut relief carvings of the Bronze Age. The Hittites is a fine introduction to the culture and art of this vibrant civilization. The book narrates the colourful succession of Hittite kings and their queens, complete with assassinations, intrigues and an evil stepmother banished for witchcraft. It also looks at the Hittite language, the first known example of the Indo-European language from which English descends, and considers the Hittites’ legacy today.