The Hartapu (Harttapus) Hittite Monument at Kızıldağ

Kızıldağ, meaning “Red Mountain” in Turkish, is a volcanic cone, a piece of the massive Karadağ volcano that dominates the land directly to the south. While there are dozens of similar cones rising out of the plain in this region, what sets Kızıldağ apart is its collection of ancient monuments dating back more than 2700 years. Among the hieroglyphic inscriptions and building remains the most striking sight is the Hartapu Monument depicting a nearly life-sized King Hartapu sitting on a throne holding a staff and bowl.

Make sure to see our guide to the nearby Mount Karadağ, home to the 1001 Churches and other Hittite mountain shrines.

Near the top of the mound, mostly on the southern side, are the low remains of a stone wall. Near the wall there is a step carved into the rock with two lines of inscription on their right. A little way below the stone walls, on the southwestern corner of the mound there is also a small square opening carved into a low cliff above a small shelf. While there was once other inscriptions, some have been destroyed.

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The inscriptions here at Kızıldağ make up some of the scant record we have of King Hartapu, who was a ruler connected with the Hittites (other sites bearing mention of Hartapu are Burunkaya in Aksaray, Karadağ in Karaman, and more recently Türkmen Karahöyük in Konya). Exactly what his relationship to the Hittites was depends on when he lived. Up to recently the debate was between him ruling during the 13th or the 8th centuries BC. The debate was based around the lingustic style of the inscriptions at this and the other sites as well as the the mention of a “Great King Mursili” as father of the King Hartapu. Some aspects of the writing implied an older, Hittite Empire origin, and the last known “Great King Mursili” lived in the 13th century BC. However, in 2019, researches were led to an inscription found in a canal at Türkmen Karahöyük in Konya which been dated to the 8th century. This inscription is from King Hartapu and mentions this site as his capital in a hieroglyph that can be dated to the 8th century BC. With research still in the early stages at Türkmen Karahöyük, we may still learn a great deal about this king who sits on the throne here at the Kızıldağ monument.

About 800 meters to the south of Kızıldağ there is another similarly sized volcanic cone which, from the south also appears red (as the name Kızıldağ implies), and has the obvious remains of a stone wall on it. While this cone is also likely of some historical value, there doesn’t appear to be any information about it and it is not the site of the Hartapu monument.