Corum - The Motherland of the Hittites

The lands of Corum Province, including the ancient cities of Hattusas (Bogazkoy), the capital city of the Hittites and Alacahoyuk, are within the Central Anatolia Region. However, the capital of Corum Province is located in the Black Sea Region. Hattusas, which is surrounded by large city walls, appears to be like a city of temples. Here, at the Yazilikaya Open Air Temple, there are reliefs of all the Hittite gods and goddesses. Alacahoyuk is another important settlement center of the Hittites near Hattusas. The ancient city is especially known for the sphinxes at the entrance gate to the city. Furthermore, Alacahoyuk was also an important city of the Hattis who lived in Anatolia before the Hittites. Bronze, gold and silver sun disks, statues symbolizing gods, wine containers, crowns, belts and earrings were found in graves which belong to this period (2500 B.C.) of the city. These precious works of art are exhi- bited at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.