Şapinuva
Şapinuva, one of the important cities of the Hittite State, lies within the boundaries of present-day Ortaköy district, approximately 53 km southeast of Çorum. The ancient settlement is situated on the natural passage between the Göynücek Plain and the Alaca Plain, which extend around the Çekerek River. This location placed the city at an important point within the Hittite-period road network of Central Anatolia.
History
Standing at a strategic point due to both its political and geographical position during the Hittite Age, Şapinuva became an important military and religious center of the period. The Hittite State, with its capital at Hattuşaş, was one of the powerful political structures of the Bronze Age in Central Anatolia; Şapinuva, too, held a prominent place in the administration and religious life of this state.
The archive formed by the cuneiform tablets and fragments uncovered in the Ortaköy excavations, numbering up to 4,000, is the most valuable group of finds revealing the importance of the city. In addition to texts written in Hittite, this archive contains administrative, military, religious, and divinatory texts written in Hattic, Hurrian, and Akkadian. A large portion of the texts date to the Middle Hittite period (14th century BC). The records kept in different languages show that the city had a broad cultural and diplomatic sphere of influence.
From the correspondence found here, it is understood that the royal family, including Taşmişarri (Tudhaliya III) and Taduhepa, reigned in this city. This suggests that Şapinuva was not merely a provincial settlement but a high-level center where the royal family resided from time to time.
Excavations and Architecture
In the ongoing excavation works, to date the monumental administrative structure named Building A and the commercial structure named Building B have been uncovered. The monumental administrative structure is significant in reflecting the city’s governing function, while the commercial structure reflects the organization of economic activities. The fact that a significant portion of the tablets were found in areas associated with these buildings indicates that Şapinuva functioned as an archive and administrative center.
Location and Surroundings
Around Ortaköy, traces from the Hittite period are found together with the natural and historical fabric of the district. Hattuşaş, the best-known center of the same period in the geography of Çorum, and the Hüseyindede Old Hittite Cult Center, which stands out for its cult finds from the early Hittite period, are other important points that complement the Hittite heritage of the region. For the general historical and geographical context of the district, see the article History of Ortaköy, and for one of the natural beauties of the surroundings, see the İncesu Canyon page.
ℹ️ This article has been enriched with additional historical context and editing over the original archive content.
