Bronze Age Sites of Anatolia

Site co-ordinates are provided in decimal latitude and longitude values. Click on a data source under the Satellite View column to see the site from above, or click the button in the Coordinates column to paste a location’s co-ordinates to your device’s clipboard. Sites with accompanying websites are now being added to the Web column.

The co-ordinates of sites listed with a ? are uncertain: either the reference is inexact or tentative, or the location’s attribution is unsafe. Please feel free to suggest updates and provide corrections.

A number of sites are mentioned in Hittite tablets but their specific locations have yet to be confirmed. Many have been identified with Classical sites, but these connections are not certain, even when the location of the Classical settlement is known. In some cases, the link with the Classical site is tenuous: based on philological and/or geographical similarities rather archaeological or textual evidence. Where modern locations are given, these may be where sites have been confirmed or simply where they are believed to be, often by way of the siting of their Classical counterparts.

Sites whose names are known but whose locations are unknown (even lacking a Classical equivalent) are listed separately.

Turkish Pronunciation

I am indebted to the late Professor George E. Bean for providing guidance on the pronunciation of Turkish names. No other archaeologist author, even when addressing non-academic readers, considers it worthy to explain how to frame proper nouns mentally in other languages. Professor Bean had the traveller in mind, but pronunciation guidance is no less useful to the reader in their armchair. Here are the Professor’s general rules:

Vowels are pronounced as in German.
Consonants are pronounced is in English, with these exceptions:
- c is pronounced as English j.
- ç is pronounced as English ch.
- ş is pronounced as English sh.
- ı is pronounced as a short English uh as in borough.
- g is “virtually not pronounced at all”.
- ğ after a soft vowel is pronounced as English y; after hard vowels it “merely lengthens them”.
- h is always pronounced (as it now almost always is in modern English).
- y is always a consonant.

“In speaking Turkish names the stress should be spread more evenly over the syllables than is done in English. In particular, the penultimate syllable is rarely stressed,” George E. Bean, in his wonderful books: Aegean Turkey, Lycian Turkey, Turkey Beyond the Meander and Turkey’s Southern Shore.

Anatolian Sites

Site	Satellite View	Coordinates	Web
Ankuwa (mod. Alişar Höyük) ^? Hittite joint capital, inhabited from LN to LBA.
Apasa (class. Ephesus) Capital of Arzawa. One Mycenaean grave found containing LH IIIA1 pottery. LH IIIA pottery and fortification wall uncovered on Ayasuluk.
Aphrodisias (mod. Geyre) Classical Carian site settled since at least the Chalcolithic.
Arapkahve Surface finds from Late FN, EBA.
Arinna (mod. Alaça Höyük) ^? Hittite city.
Artemision Temple of Artemis at Ephesus — wonder of the ancient world but more pertinently a Greek adoption of an older, Anatolian mother goddess on a site showing signs of usage into the Bronze Age. ¹
Asar Tepe (Urganlı Höyük) Surface finds include a few EBA sherds, but more MBA and LBA.
Assuwa (class. Assos) ^? Capital of the Land of Assuwa? The classical site was founded c.1000.
Astarpa River (mod. Emir/Küçük Menderes) River passing through Arzawa/Mira, and site of Mursili II’s encampment while facing Apasa (AhT 1A, 1B).
Atriya (class. Stratoniceia) ^? Lukkan city fortified by Mursili II (‘Annals’) and later raide by Hattsili III (‘Tawagalawa Letter’).
Attarimma (class. Telmessos; mod. Fethiye) ^? Lukkan city seized by Madduwatta (AhT 3) and latter burned by Piyamarada (AhT 4).
Aura (class. Amorium/Aiorion) ^? City visited by many Hittite kings on their way to the West. Identified by Garstang. ²
Awarna (class. Xanthos) ^? Lukkan city captured by Tudhaliya IV (Yalbürt inscription).
Bahçe Tepe Surface finds from EBA I-III, MBA, LBA are typically Anatolian.
Bakla Tepe Settlement dating to the FN with EBA I and II remains, LBA chamber tombs and imported painted Mycenaean ware. The tell is now an island in a hydroelectric lake. ³
Beşik Tepe Burial mound with notable LH IIIB goods.
Beytiköy Surface finds from EBA I-III, MBA, LBA are typically Anatolian.
Büyükkale Fortified Classical citadel with surviving LBA Cyclopean traces.
Çatal Höyük Chalcolithic city extending back to the Neolithic.
Çeşme-Bağlararası Well-preserved EBA port city with streets and houses. Extends back to EBA I, and resettled during MBA I. Finds include a winery, and Minoanizing pottery. Tsunami residue - including the skeleton of a human victim - is overlayed by ash from the Thera eruption.
Çine Tepecik Höyük Settlement continuously occupied from LN through LBA. An Anatolian-style fortification wall, 2.2m wide, with square towers, surrounded the LBA town. Some LH IIIB/IIIC pottery found, imports and local imitations, but the majority of material is Western Anatolian. One of two seal impressions found may reference Tarkasnawa, last king of Mira (see the Age of Bronze home page).
Colophon Cemetery B Site contains a tholos tomb dated by excavator Hetty Goodman to LH IIIB-C, but judged by Wace to be LM III. ⁴
Dalawa/Talawa (class. Tlos) Lycian hilltop citadel above City of the Lukka lands.
Deş Tepe Surface finds from Late FN, EBA I-III, MBA, LBA.
Didyma LH IIIA2 Mycenaean finds suggest earlier site beneath the Classical city.
Dura (class. Tyrrha, mod. Tire) Arzawan town hidden beneath the modern settlement.
Eflatun Pınar Hittite sacred pool dedicated to the spring cult and identified with the ‘spring pool of Arimatta’ mentioned in Tudhaliya IV's treaty with Kurunta of Tarhuntassa.
Erythrae Classical site showing traces of earlier Mycenaean pottery.
Fıraktın Relief Three sections show posthumous Hattusili III making an offering to the storm god, the sun goddess and Hattusili’s wife Puduhepa, and a Luwian hieroglyphic inscription describing Puduhepa as “daughter of the land of Kizzuwatna”.
Gavurtepe Höyük LBA citadel surrounded by cyclopean walls. LH IIIA2 Mycenaean pottery found.
Göz Tepe MBA-LBA citadel.
Hanay Tepe Early, Middle, Late BA site.
Hanyeri Relief Relief of the bull god Sarruma and a warrior identified by an inscription as “Ku(wa)lanamuwa... son of a king”. A second inscription refers to “Tarhunta-piyama” — possibly the prince Tarhunta-piya who is named in the Hemite relief.
Hapanuwa (class. Hypaepa, mod. Günlüce) ^? Largely vanished classical town on the primary route between Sardis and Ephesus.
Hattusa Capital of Hatti.
Hemite Relief Warrior relief identified by inscription as “Tarhunta, prince, Son of Tarhunta-piya, prince”. A Tarhunta-piya is named in a Treaty of Hattusili III and Ulmi-Teshub of Tarhuntassa (HDT 18B §15).
Hinduwa (class. Kandyba) Lukkan town and site of an ambush by the rebel Madduwatta against Hittite troops (AhT 3).
Hursanassa/Huwarsana/Hursana (class. Helicarnassos) City claimed by rebel Maduwatta (AhT 3) now under mod. Bodrum.
Huwalusiya (class. Colossae) ^? Town on the possible border between Arzawa and Mira.
Iasos (mod. Kıyıkışlacık) Minoan (MM II-LM II) then Mycenaean (LH IIIA) ‘colony’ port.
Ikkuwaniya (class. Ikonion, mod. Konya-Karahöyük) City on the Northern border between Tarhuntassa and Pitassa.
İmamkullu Relief A warrior reflief identified by the inscription as prince Kuwalanamuwa, possibly also named in the Hanyeri and Manisa reliefs.
Indus River (mod. Dalaman Çayı) Site of campaign by Tudhaliya IV recorded on the Yalbürt inscription.
Iyalanda (class. Alinda) City of the Lukka lands.
Kadıkalesi Anaia Coastal city revealing MBA and LBA Anatolian Gray and Gold Wash Ware as seen at Troia VI-VII. Mycenaean pottery finds are largely local imitations.
Karabel Relief Site of now removed monumental inscription to Tarkasnawa, King of Mira. ⁵
Karadağ Relief 8th Century 2m inscription in Luwian Hieroglyphictranslated by Hawkins as ‘In this place (to/for?) the celestial Storm-God, the divine Great Mountain (and) every god, the Sun, Great King, Hartapu..., (he) who conquered every country, (to/for?) the celestial Storm-God and every god...’ Nearby, a second inscrption says ‘Great King Hartapu’.
Kārum Kanesh Assyrian merchant colony outside the city of Nesa (mod. Kültepe).
Kaymakçı Tepe Hilltop town settled continuously from 1700BC to 1200BC, contemporary with Troy VI and VIIa.
Kilise Tepe Founded in the EBA, becaue a Hittite administrative centre (Level IIIa-e), then levelled and rebuilt on a new layout (Level II). Administrative centre for the new semi-independent Tarhuntassa. Destroyed c.1170 (Level IId).
Kömür Adası Surface finds include MM IB/II and LH III material indicating Minoan then Mycenaean ‘colonisation’.
Kücüktepe Surface finds from Late FN, EBA I-III, MBA, LBA. Abundant Anatolian Gold Wash and Gray Ware.
Küllüoba EBA settlement above Chalcolithic remains.
Kum Tepe Neolithic site inhabited into EBA I Early and possibly as late as MBA.
Kuwalatarna (class. Kaunos) Lukka town within the Indus (mod. Dalaman Çayı) valley.
Landa/Laranda (mod. Karaman) Classical remains may overlie an earlier Tarhuntassan town of the same name.
Liman Tepe EBI fortified settlement and port now partially under water (and class. Klazomenae). EBII remains include an EHII-style corridor building and a tower likely to be of considerable size.
Lusna (class. Lystra) ^? Classical remains may overlie an earlier Tarhuntassan town, linguistically considered to be Lusna, but no systemmatic examination has taken place. ⁶
Madunassa (class. Sardis, mod. Sart) ^? Lydian capital in the Iron Age. Also the Bronze Age capital of Seha River Land?
Malatça Höyük (Biz. Meiros) Putative Miran capital following discovery of Byzantine name Meiros.
Manisa Relief Unknown deity with two Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions, one untranslated, the other said to identify “Prince Kuwalanamuwa”.
Midduwa/Malidiya/Melid (mod. Arslan Tepe) Administrative centre with the kingdom of Isuwa stretching back to the Chalcolithic.
Milas Pilav Tepe Surface finds show LN inhabitation onwards, with a partial 2m thick surrounding wall, terrace walls, and a chamber tomb containing LH IIIA-C pottery.
Millawanda (class. Miletus) Minoan then Mycenaean ‘colony’ port.
Mira (mod. Beycesultan) ^? Fortified city at the head of the Maeander River, founded in the Chalcolithic and comprising 40 levels, 14 in the EBA. Named on a seal found at the site (Woudhuizen 2018).
Müsgebi EBA to Mycenaean chamber tomb cemetery containing more than 25 tombs, but now hidden beneath (or destroyed by) cement mining.
Mutamutassa (class. Mylasa, mod. Milas) ^? City of the Lukka lands hidden under modern city.
Nesa (mod. Kültepe) Home of the ancestors of the kings of Hatti. Levels IV and III are EBA; levels II and Ib are MBA.III, II and Ib were destroyed by fire.
Panissa (mod. Panaztepe) Hilltop city overlooking the Gediz River valley. Classical and later remains cover EBA, MBA and LBA. settlement. Cemetery yielded LH IIIA1-2 pottery, Aegean Type D sword.
Parha (class. Perge) City on the Western border of Tarhuntassa, on the R. Kastaraya (class. Kestros).
Pariyana (class. Priene) Coastal classical city that superseded an older settlement.
Patar (class. Patara) City of the Lukka lands.
Pessinus ^? Gurney’s Sallapa/Salpa.
Pina/Pinali (class. Pinara) City of the Lukka lands conquered by Tudhaliya IV (Yalbürt inscription).
Pitane (mod. Çandarlı) Site (no remains exist) of the northernmost of the 11 Aeolian cities. Its necropolis revealed Mycenaean (and earlier) pottery suggesting the presence of pre-classical settlement.
Plarasa ^? Lukkan town later entirely eclipsed by nearby Aphrodisias. Only known from classical times, nonetheless its ‘asa’ suffix indicates Luwian heritage. A Plarasan coin of the second century BC now in the Yale Art Gallery shows a labrys on the reverse, again suggesting pre-Hellenic heritage.
Puranda (mod. Bademgediği) ^? Dated to C16, Level III (destroyed by Mursilii?). New foundation (Level II) in C12. Surrounded by a Cyclopean wall 3.6m thick. Rich in LH II-III Anatolian Gold Wash, Red and Gray Ware. Much LH IIIC Early-Late Mycenaean material found.
Purushanda (mod. Acem Höyük) ^? Pre-Hittite city from the MBA. Layers V and IV are pre-Assyrian Merchant Colony (karum) era; layer III is of that period during which it was destroyed by fire (c.1750 in the era of Anitta) and abandoned until the Hellenistic period.
Sahiriya River (class. Sangarios, mod. Sakarya Nehri)
Sallapa/Salpa (class. Laodikea) ^? City at which Mursili II mustered his army before proceeding to Arzawa (AHT 1A, 1B). Hittite Sallapa is believed to lie behind the classical name of a nearby peak ‘Salbacus Mons’ in the peaks to the west of mod. Denizli. But surely a settlement on level ground is a more appropriate mustering place for a chariot-based army than mountain country?
Sam’al (mod. Zincirli Höyük) EBA site abandoned during the Hittite and Mitanni periods but later reoccupied.
Sapinuwa (mod. Ortaköy) Hittite administrative and religious centre, and one-time capital.
Sarissa (mod. Kuşakli) ^? Upper land Hittite town possibly founded in the 16th century BCE. Associated the partially excavated modern tell on which a two-tier town was uncovered, though only domestic areas were investigated.
Siyanta River (mod. Eşen Çay/Koca Çayı) Defining feature of the Siyanta River Land, granted by Tudhaliya I/II to Madduwatta.
Smyrna [pre-Alexandrian] (mod. Bayraklı, Izmir) EBA II-MBA city below early classical site.
Tabikka (mod. Maşat Höyük) Hittite city.
Tarsa (mod. Tarsus) City in Kizzuwatna. LBA Tarsa destroyed by fire, but soon reoccupied. Shows Aegean immigration C12.
Taşçı Reliefs Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions read “Manaaza/i... daughter of Lubakkis, the son of the military scribe”, and “Bodyguard Zida, servant of Hattusili, the Great King, the hero”.
Tavşan Adası Intensively used site from the Late FN once on a peninsula but now on an island. Many MM IB/II finds suggest Minoan colonisation. Workshops suggest a thriving commercial centre.
Tavşan Adası Once on a headland (now an island), this MBA port shows strong signs of Minoanization. Destroyed late 17th Century.
Teichiussa Island settlement occupied during the Bronze Age. ⁷
Troy/Ilios/Hisarlık First settled c.3600BCE, this key North-West Anatolian site was occupied for more that 4000 years.
Türkmen-Karahöyük Large site occupied from the Late Chalcolithic through LBA and beyond. A Luwian hieroglyphic inscription indicates it is the early first-millennium royal seat of ‘Great King Hartapu’, known from the Kızıldağ and Karadağ inscriptions. The upper city is approximately 25ha in extent; the lower town at least 80ha, possibly as much as 160ha. ⁸
Tuwanuwa (class. Tuana, mod. Tyana) Hittite border city between Hatti and the Lower Land.
Utima (class. Idyma. mod. Gökova) ^? Lukkan city aided by Tarkasnawa of Mira (AhT 5). Identified by Garstang. ⁹
Wallarimma (class. Hyllarima) ^? Unexcavated classical site associated with the Lukkan town conqured by Tudhaliya I/II, later captured by Madduwatta (AhT 3). Identified by Garstang. ¹⁰
Walliwanda (class. Alabanda) City of the Lukka lands.
Wiyanawanda (class. Oenoanda) City of the Lukka lands on Mira-Kuwaliya frontier as set by Mursili II (HDT 11).
Yalbürt Hittite water monument with inscription commemorating Tudhaliya IV’s campaign in Lukka.
Yumuk Tepe (mod. Mersin) Tell occupied from the FN to the end of the Bronze Age and beyond.
Zippalanda (mod. Çadır Höyük) ^? Hittite administrative and religious centre.
Zippasla, Mount (class. Sipylos) ^? The rebel Madduwatta was granted rulership of the Land of Zippasla by Arnuwanda I (AhT 3). While Zippasla itself is nearby mountain — Sipylos in classical times — the nearby classical site Magnesia ad Sipylum (mod. Manisa) is a likely location for the Land of Zippasla’s chief town.
Zumarri (class. Limyra) Lukkan town at one point conquered by the rebel Maduwatta (AhT 3).

¹ Bammer, A. A "Peripteros" of the Geometric Period in the Artemision of Ephesus (1990) Anatolian Studies, Vol.40, pp.137-160
² Gartsang, John. Gurney, OR. The Geography of the Hittite Empire (1959) British Institute at Ankara.
³ Şahoğlu, Vasif. The Anatolian Trade Network and the Izmir Region during the Early Bronze Age (2005) Oxford Journal of Archaeology, vol.24, p.339.
⁴ Bridges, R.A. The Mycenaean Tholos Tomb at Kolophon (1974) Hesperia Vol.43, No.2, pp,264-266
⁵ Hawkins, JD. Tarkasnawa King of Mira 'Tarkondemos', Boǧazköy Sealings and Karabel (1998) Anatolian Studies, Vol.48, pp.1-31
⁶ Gartsang, John. Gurney, OR. The Geography of the Hittite Empire (1959) British Institute at Ankara.
⁷ Voigtländer, Walter. Teichiussa. Näherung und Wirklichket. (2004) Verlag Marie Leidorf GmbH
⁸ Osborne, James et al. The city of Hartapu&colon — results of the Türkmen-Karahöyük Intensive Survey Project (2020) Anatolian Studies, vol.70, p.1
⁹ Gartsang, John. Gurney, OR. The Geography of the Hittite Empire (1959) British Institute at Ankara.
¹⁰ Gartsang, John. Gurney, OR. The Geography of the Hittite Empire (1959) British Institute at Ankara.

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