Türkiye finds tablet fragment of world’s oldest known peace treaty

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced on Monday that archaeologists have identified a cuneiform tablet fragment excavated at Hattusa as part of the ancient Kadesh Peace Treaty, revealing provisions regarding refugees and the protection of homes from destruction. The discovery was made at Buyukkale, an area within the ancient Hittite capital located in modern-day Çorum province, and was formally announced on September 21 to coincide with World Peace Day. "We have found traces of peace dating back thousands of years in the soil of Anatolia," Ersoy said in a statement, adding that scientific examinations confirmed the fragment belongs to one of the treaty copies.

The newly identified piece contains lines from provisions covered in Articles 12 to 20 of the treaty, which regulate the treatment of people who fled one country and sought refuge in the other, according to the ministry. Readable sections include references to individuals fleeing the lands of Egypt and Hatti — the ancient Hittite kingdom — alongside stipulations concerning the destruction of homes. "The statements concerning the destruction of people’s homes carry a powerful message from thousands of years ago to the present day," Ersoy said, connecting the ancient text to contemporary conflicts. He extended the sentiment to modern geopolitics, expressing hope for a future where all people, particularly Palestinians, could live in safety and tranquility.

Scientific analysis and historical context

The tablet fragment was discovered near Building E at Buyukkale during ongoing archaeological excavations at the UNESCO World Heritage site, which was inscribed on the list in 1986, and underwent detailed scientific examination for approximately one year before its identification. Researchers determined that the artifact belongs to one of the clay tablet copies of the treaty concluded between Hittite King Hattusili III and Egyptian King Ramesses II in the 13th century BC following the Battle of Kadesh. The agreement is widely recognized as one of the earliest known written peace treaties in history, with versions inscribed in both Akkadian cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphs, while the Egyptian version was preserved on temple walls.

International collections and ongoing excavations

Previously discovered fragments of the Kadesh Peace Treaty are held in the collections of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, the Vorderasiatisches Museum in Berlin and the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, reflecting the document's international significance. The newly identified fragment is expected to contribute significantly to ongoing international efforts to reconstruct the complete clay tablet copies originally unearthed at Hattusa during the first systematic excavations conducted between 1906 and 1912. Excavations at Buyukkale remain ongoing under the supervision of the ministry, with researchers hoping to uncover additional missing fragments that could further illuminate the treaty's comprehensive provisions regarding asylum and human protection.