Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 2.djvu/289

 General Characteristics of Hittite Civilization. 271 as much would have been learnt by a shigle glance at the map.^ The Hittites, during the time of their closest union with each other, were but a federation, and never grew into a state firmly knitted together. Hence it is not easy to conceive the possibility that the kings of Kadesh and Carchemish were ever in a position to march their armies across Asia Minor, their hands being at all times fully busy in trying to keep their neighbours in check. Nevertheless, the warriors carved on the cliffs of mountain passes would seem to be reminiscences of a successful invasion, In imita- tion, it may be, of Assyrian and Egyptian captains who left their names and effigies to mark their passage, at Nahr-el-Kelb (ancient Lycus), for example.^ Everything is easy of explanation, if we suppose strongholds, such as Ghiaour-Kalessi, to have been erected by Western Hittites during their distant expeditions, which extended over a considerable period.^ The broad masses of the Amanus and the Taurus range were formidable obstacles to claims being put forth at Kadesh or Carchemish to rule Asia Minor. The attempt, if made, would have been frustrated by mere distance. Nor would Tarsus have had a much better chance, for its natural means of communication with the outer world are towards Syria, rather than the central plateau. Criteria, as well as common sense, point to Pterium as having been an important centre — the only one deserving the name — for the space of two or three hundred years. Hissarlik, the Troy of Schliemann, is but an insignificant hamlet compared with Boghaz-Keui, and its stupendous, massive walls, extending over several kilometres, on which are depicted poliote deities, priests, warriors, and princes in turn. From thence, Hittite leaders, with every returning spring, started on those raids which we find vividly pictured on Egyptian and Assyrian monuments. On such occasions, garrisons beyond ^ Sculptures chiselled in the solid rock are stated to exist in the neighbourhood of Antioch, and the mountains east of Alexandretia, with characters which seem to indicate a Hittite origin (Sayce, The Monuments, and Bilingual Inscriptions, etc, pp. 269 and 306). '' Hist, of Art, torn. ii. p. 651, Fig. 312 ; torn. iii. pp. 6-8, Figs. 2 and 3. ' Egyptian monuments show us the Hittites fighting before Kadesh from chariots in which they scour the plain ; the foot-soldiers, with long spears and daggers, form as compact and well-ordered a phalanx as the Egyptian tuhiru, "picked men." It is worthy of remark, that the title of a& in tuhiru should have served to designate a high functionary at the court of the kings of the Khiti, answering to our field- marshal, generalissimo, etc. (Lenormant, Les Inscriptions Ilittiques.)