History and archaeology / Aqueduct and cistern
Karakuyu Hittite Dam
Pınarbaşı, Kayseri
An earth-embankment dam from the 13th century BC near the village of Karakuyu in Pınarbaşı, known for its block stones inscribed in the name of the Hittite king Tudhaliya IV.
Its story
The dam was identified in 1931 in the survey of H. Z. Koşay and H. H. von der Osten and re-examined in 1987–89 by an Ankara University team. The reservoir is surrounded on three sides by a U-shaped earth embankment open to the south, about 440 meters long in total. A structure about 8 meters long cutting through the northern embankment, built of large rectangular blocks, resembles the imperial-period stonework at Hattusa. The two-line hieroglyphic inscription on one of the blocks mentions the name of Tudhaliya IV and shows that the structure belongs to the second half of the 13th century BC; this inscribed piece is now in the Kayseri Museum. A second, unfinished inscribed block still stands in place.
Key facts
- Period
- Hittite Imperial Age (13th century BC)
- Admission
- Free, open area
- Visit duration
- 30–45 minutes
- Embankment length
- About 440 m
Trip purpose
- Free
- Photography
- Quiet
Location
38.88674, 36.73219
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Source: Web derlemesi (doğrulanmalı): https://kulturenvanteri.com/yer/karakuyu-baraji/ | https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%B1narba%C5%9F%C4%B1,_Kayseri | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q139433278