Archaeologists found an ancient Hittite sanctuary in Turkey that reflects the ancient people's idea of space

Scientists have discovered that the Yazilikaya sanctuary, built in Turkey more than three thousand years ago, may be a symbolic representation of the cosmos. According to scientists, the Hittites built it to visualize the appearance of the universe and natural cycles.

This is reported by the Journal of Skyscape Archaeology.

Yazilikaya sanctuary is an open-air sanctuary and a very important place of the Hittite Empire. Its ruins are located near the village of Bogazkale in Turkey. It consists of a central building and a temple of the capital Hattusa.

The purpose of the Yazilikaya sanctuary is still unknown. According to scientists, one of the premises was used for New Year's ceremonies, while the other served as a mausoleum of the Hittite king.

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Archaeologists from the University of Basel in Switzerland in 2019 suggested that some of the images of the gods could be a calendar: the images of 64 deities in the main hall of Yazilik can be divided into three groups representing days, lunar months and solar years.

It may also represent the underworld: earth, sky and natural cycles. In addition, they may depict the changes of the day, night and the seasons.

As a reminder, a rare silver coin used to pay taxes in the Jerusalem Temple was found in the desert.

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