Hittite Warrior God
- Altar Modelling
- Hittite warrior god figure
- Code: ALT-09-10
- 54mm resin model figure. 5 pieces.
- Requires glue and painting. Paint and glue not included in the box.
Hittite Warrior God
Hittites formed a powerful empire ruled between 1650 to 1200 B. C. in Anatolia. Their capital Hattusha, now named as Bogazkoy, hosted Hittite Kings for centuries and remained as one of the most important cities of the ancient world. Access to Hattusha was through gates located in different parts of the city. On the inside of the gate named as King’s Gate in the Upper City, there is a relief of a warrior which was made around 14th century B. C. At first, this long-haired, well-armed figure was thought to be a king. However, since the horns denote a deity in Hittite culture, the figure should be a god as it had horns on its helmet. The relief was taken from its original place in 1907.Today, it is displayed at the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara. His left hand is held up in a gesture of adoration. For centuries, Hittite armies leaving the capital for war, passed through this gate and got the blessing of this warrior god protecting the gate of Hattusha. This relief is the best preserved and most treasured masterpiece of Hittite sculpture.
Tony Aldrich sculpted the figure. Stages of the figure in the hands of the sculptor were as follows:
Master figure
Final form with correctly sculpted horns.
Horns are critical for this figure as these denote that this relief is a Hittite God. Therefore, to get them right was extremely important. After lengthy research and evaluation we came to conclusion that the shape of the horns should best be lyra-shaped as in the horns of Sherri and Hurri bulls which were pulling the chariot of the Hittite storm god. These two terracotta pieces found at the capital Hattusha and were believd to used as ceremonial drink cups and dated to 16th century B.C. They are now at the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara.
Original relief which was taken from its original position at King’s Gate at Hattusha and now kept at Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara.
Source: Photo from Altar Modelling collection
Detailed drawing of the god relief in prominen archeologist Ekrem Akurgal’s book. Contrary to some suggesting the god is wearing a chest armour, Akurgal noted his chest is bare and those were chest hair.
Source: Ekrem Akurgal, Ancient Civilizations and ruins of Turkey, Ankara 1970, p 291
A Hittite soldier bringing his Syrian prisioners to Hattusha via King’s Gate. Illustration by Michael Hampshire.
Source: Jim Hicks, The Emergence of Man: The Empire Builders, Time-Life Books, Alexandria, Virginia, 1979, front cover
Hattusha plan. King’s Gate is at the bottom right side of the map and marked as “Porte Royale”
Source: Ernest Mamboury, Ankara: Guide Touristique, Ministere Turc de l’Intérieur, Ankara, 1933, folded map between pp 290 and 291
Reconstruction of the King’s Gate at Hattusha.
Source:.Jürgen Seeher, Hitit Başkentinde Bir Gün: Hattuşa Rehberi, Ege Yayınları, İstanbul, 2006, p 94
Aerial view of the King’s Gate and ruins of the fortifications.
Source:.Jürgen Seeher, Hitit Başkentinde Bir Gün: Hattuşa Rehberi, Ege Yayınları, İstanbul, 2006, p 94
Relief at its original place at Hattusha in 1907
Source:.Jürgen Seeher, Hitit Başkentinde Bir Gün: Hattuşa Rehberi, Ege Yayınları, İstanbul, 2006, p 93
Cast relief placed at site instead of the original.
Source: Jim Hicks, The Emergence of Man: The Empire Builders, Time-Life Books, Alexandria, Virginia, 1979, p 120
Figure is produced at world standards as in the case of all other Altar Modelling products.
This is a 54mm resin figure. Requires painting. Figure comes in five pieces.
This figure has been produced in limited numbers and released worldwide on 3 December 2009.
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