Kandelaki D.A. Hattas of ancient Anatolia Origin. Localisation. Chronology.
The article is an abridged and partially revised version of a paper written by
Kandelaki D. A. Hatta in Russian. The paper covers the topics of localisation,
identification, and chronology and was presented at the Yakayev Readings
conference. Scientific Heritage of F.A. Shcherbina: Cossacks and the History
of the Caucasus. Krasnodar, 2016. pp. 51-70.
Kandelaki David Avtandilovich is a researcher at the History Department in
Abkhazian Institute for Humanitarian Research named by D. I. Gulia. Academy of
Sciences of Abkhazia (Republic of Abkhazia, Sukhum). Chief curator of the
Pitsunda Archaeological Museum (Pitsunda, Republic of Abkhazia). Director of the
Research Centre “PONTO-CAUCASICA”, Tour Guide Training School and
Abkhazian Lecture Hall (Republic of Abkhazia, Gagra).
david_kandelaki@mail.ru
The Hattians are believed to belong, chronologically, to a period that enables
experts to present an ethno-cultural and linguistic image immediately preceding the
written stage. As one of the earliest peoples attested by written sources, their cultural
and linguistic characteristics can be studied with objectivity. It is crucial to maintain
a logical structure while writing about their history to facilitate comprehension and
provide valuable insight into ancient cultures.
Based on written sources, specifically the established Hatt attribution of the
Aladzha culture and its Aladzha-Guyuk complex, which dates back to the late
Chalcolithic and early Bronze Age period, we can estimate the territorial limits of
the Hatt settlement in the period leading up to the historical (written) era.
The Kyzyl-Irmak River (Marasantia, Galis) served as the main area of Hatt
settlement. It appears that the largest concentration of the Hatt population was
located in the bend of this river. In addition, the Hattians established settlements to
the north in the basin of the Yesil-Irmak River. Without a doubt, numerous Hatt
settlements were situated along the Anatolian coastline of the Black Sea, near the
mouths of the Kizil-Irmak and Yesil-Irmak rivers. Apparently, Hatt settlements
occupied many small gorges along rivers that flowed down tributaries of the YesilIrmak
and Kizil-Irmak rivers, including those flowing from the southern slopes of
the Pontic Mountains. The regions between the Kyzyl-Irmak River and the northern
slopes of the Cilician, Central and Inner Taurus were undoubtedly the settlement
zones of the Hattians. It is likely that the Hattian population was situated towards
the west of the Kyzyl-Irmak River, encompassing the Tuz Lake vicinity. The
natural-geographical and ethno-territorial confines of the Hattian settlement during
this period were delineated by prominent features such as the Kyzyl-Irmak River,
the Pontic Mountains, and the mountains of the Cilician Taurus.
It is challenging to make any definitive statements about the regions situated
to the north and northeast of the central area of the Hatt settlement, which are
adjacent to the Armenian Highlands, the Black Sea coastline of the Pontic Mountains
and the Chorokh River basin. Considering the archaeological sites close to AladzhaGuyuk,
we have reasons to believe that ancient mountain communities, if not the
Hattians themselves, or related groups, may have lived in this region.
The research of the earliest ethno-cultural stages of the Hattians poses the
most challenging and pressing issue. The creators of the Aladja culture are thought
to have been from a population who spoke the Hatta language. This language is
generally classified by most experts as part of the North Caucasian / Caucasian
language family and the Abkhazian-Adygian or West Caucasian language group.
Considering that the Hattian language has been documented in its place of
origin since the middle of the 3rd millennium BC, it suggests a presence of at least
1000-1500 years before its fixation in written sources. Thus, the formation of the
ancient palaeometallic cultures in Anatolia should be regarded as the chronological
reference point for its development.
Therefore, the Hattian language is a branch that diverged directly from the
Proto-Western Caucasian state during an early stage. This period generally
corresponds to the disintegration of the Proto-North Caucasian community, which
dates back to no later than the 6th millennium BC.
The Sino-Caucasian/Dene-Caucasian macrofamily is believed to have
disintegrated in the 11th millennium BC. This separation occurred when the earliest
links of the macrofamily, namely the Sino-Tibetan and Na-Dene families, were
detached from its composition. Towards the end of the 9th millennium BC, the
Caucasian-Basque-Benisei-Burushaski community eventually fragmented into two
distinct parts, namely the Basque-Caucasian and Benisei-Burushaski communities,
after remaining homogeneous for quite some time. And afterwards, around one and
a half thousand years later, in the 8th millennium BC, these branches also
fragmented.
Around the seventh millennium BCE, homogeneous groups gradually arose
in the Eastern Black Sea region, encompassing both the Anatolian and Caucasian
parts. This emergence eventually contributed towards the ethno-linguistic
development of the precursor to the West Caucasian community within the larger
North Caucasian/Caucasian community. Around 1000-1500 years later, the Hatti
began to form in the Anatolian area of this expansive region. In the Caucasian region,
the West Caucasian community retained its coherence for a minimum of 2000 years.
It was in the 4th millennium B.C that the Praadig Praubykh and Praabkhaz branches
formed, representing the final stage of the community’s separation.
Today, the earliest stages of the formation of Central Anatolian cultures pose
a challenge to define objectively. However, it is established that neighbouring
territories surrounding the future settlement of the Hattas were pivotal in the
establishment of the most ancient Neolithic civilisations. Notably, CheyunyuTepesi,
a reference monument, emerged during the Pre-Ceramic Neolithic “A”
period (PPNA). The monument represents a cultural stratum with direct continuity
and analogies in the Pontic region. Related monuments similar to Cheyunyu-Tepesi
are assumed to be present in areas north of this monument, extending up to the
southern Black Sea coast of Turkey.
Probably, settlements such as Cheyunyu-Tepesi (including prominent
monuments such as Gebekli-Tepesi) gradually extended their influence northwards
and westwards, reaching the Southern Black Sea coastline and Central Anatolia.
Along with them came the knowledge and abilities of the Neolithic economy. One
of the cultures they engendered was the Aladja culture, which was left behind by the
Hattas, the direct descendants of the earlier settlers who had been part of the cluster
of Neolithic cultures akin to Cheyunyu-Tepesi. The Aladzha culture has a
continuation in the north-eastern regions of Asia Minor and the Pontic regions of
Turkey, where it is represented by monuments such as Mahmatlar and KhorozTepesi.
To comprehend the chronology of the initial stage of the Hatta branch’s
isolation and its representation in Hatti, which is likely the only known
representative of this branch, we present the following hypothetical ethnogenetic
model.
Towards the end of the Mesolithic era and the beginning of the Early PreCeramic
Neolithic “A” period, there is a visible process of Neolithic centre
production taking place in the eastern borders of Anatolia. This event corresponds
with natural-historical processes. During the transition from Mesolithic to Neolithic,
climatic changes caused marshes and lakes in Central Anatolia to decrease, leading
to the ingress of ancient Neolithic farmers from adjacent areas of the Fertile
Crescent. The Cheyunyu-Tepesi culture represents these regions and is most likely
the ancestors of the ancient Hattas. Therefore, the ancient Hatta group’s roots may
be linked to the individuals who constructed the monument and the cultures
neighboring the Cheyunyu-Tepesi monument circle.
This process is a component of the cohesive impulse of agricultural Neolithic
expansion across Anatolia and into the Balkan-Carpathian and Mediterranean
regions of Europe, which we can confidently link to the decline of the BasqueCaucasian
branch. It aligns chronologically with archaeological evidence.
In any case, during the 8th millennium BC, the inhabitants of Central
Anatolia possessed a highly developed Neolithic economy and were evidently
progressing towards the formation of the earliest palaeometallic cultures,
considering copper metal was first identified at the Cheyunyu-Tepesi site. Recent
studies suggest that the pioneers of metallurgy were the North Caucasus speakers.
This theory is supported by pra-linguistic reconstructions of cultural vocabulary.
During this period, comparable developments occurred in the coastal regions
of the Eastern Black Sea and beyond Anatolia, encompassing the Caucasian Black
Sea coast as well. The coalescence of the neighbouring geographical environment
by the Eastern Black Sea coast, where several West Caucasian groups that are related
to the Hattians emerged within its territories, played a significant role in this.
After separating from the West Caucasian community, we believe that the
forefathers of the later Hattians migrated to various nearby regions. These regions
were predominantly inhabited by cultures closely associated with Cheiyunu-Tepesi.
Numerous groups descended, mastering the mountain valleys of the Central and
Eastern Taurus Mountains, the Pontic Mountains. They gradually traversed the
Central Anatolian plateau, settling in the large basins of the Kyzyl-Irmak and YeshilIrmak
rivers. This impulse originated from territorial centres directly adjacent to the
original centre of the West Caucasian community.
At the start of the second millennium BC, the impressive civilization of the
Hattians, who were able to act as a bridge for the transmission of metallurgical
traditions from the Western Caucasus to ancient Sumer, began to decline. During
this time, the Hittites, who were part of the ancient Anatolian branch of the IndoEuropean
language family, arrived in Anatolia. The Hittite language gradually
became obsolete, leaving behind only the language of worship and rituals. The
Hittite Indo-Europeans, who inherited the political institutions and state structure
created by the Hittites, were the main beneficiaries of their legacy.
During the late 1st millennium BC, it is believed that the Hattian language
was still spoken in some remote mountainous regions of ancient Anatolia.