Inscription Reveals Name of Urartian City

MURADIYE, TURKEY—Recent excavations at the site of Körzüt Fortress in eastern Turkey’s Van province have uncovered several important archaeological features that are helping archaeologists gain a deeper understanding of the Urartian city’s layout and history, Türkiye Today reports. The site, which is notable for its massive defensive walls measuring 30 feet wide, was purportedly built by King Minua, ruler of the Kingdom of Urartu between 810 and 786 b.c. New work at the site revealed a second temple building, a monumental entrance to the palace complex, and a network of pathways linking civilian areas with the central citadel. However, the most important discovery was an inscription recording the settlement’s original name, which was previously unknown. The six-line cuneiform text records that the site was called Haldi Patari, which translates to “the city sacred to Haldi.” Haldi, the Urartian civilization’s principal deity, was a warrior god associated with kingship, battle, and victory. This new discovery indicates that the city may have been an important religious and political center during the Iron Age. To read about soldiers from Urartu who likely looted an Iron Age hilltop site in northwest Iran, go to "The Price of Plunder."