3,200-Year-Old Kadesh Treaty Fragment Found in Türkiye
A remarkable archaeological discovery in Türkiye has added another piece to one of the ancient world's most important diplomatic documents. Archaeologists have identified a 3,200-year-old cuneiform tablet fragment discovered at Hattusha, the ancient capital of the Hittite Empire, as part of a surviving copy of the Kadesh Peace Treaty . The newly identified fragment is particularly interesting because it concerns people who fled from one kingdom to another. Its surviving lines refer to people moving between Egypt and the Hittite kingdom and include provisions concerning the protection of their homes. The discovery provides an unusual window into how two powerful Bronze Age states attempted to regulate conflict, borders, return and the treatment of displaced people. According to Arkeonews , the fragment was discovered at Büyükkale, part of the royal citadel of Hattusha in central Türkiye. Researchers examined the inscription for approximately one year before establishing its conn...