On the road from the palace at Buyukkale, right in front of the Great Temple's northern gate, is this five-meter long water basin, carved with the relief of crouching lions. It may have contained water conserved for purification rites.
The Hittites held two major festivals during the year, one during spring (the 'Festival of the Crocus') and one during the fall (the 'Festival of Haste'). Fall festivals were for the filling of storage jars with the year's harvest; and spring festivals were for opening those vessels. Horse races, foot races, mock battles, musicians and jesters were among the entertainments conducted at cultic festivals.
Source: Gary Beckman. 2000 "The Religion of the Hittites". Pp 133-243, Across the Anatolian Plateau: Readings in the Archaeology of Ancient Turkey. David C. Hopkins, editor. American School of Oriental Research, Boston.
The Hittites held two major festivals during the year, one during spring (the 'Festival of the Crocus') and one during the fall (the 'Festival of Haste'). Fall festivals were for the filling of storage jars with the year's harvest; and spring festivals were for opening those vessels. Horse races, foot races, mock battles, musicians and jesters were among the entertainments conducted at cultic festivals.
Source: Gary Beckman. 2000 "The Religion of the Hittites". Pp 133-243, Across the Anatolian Plateau: Readings in the Archaeology of Ancient Turkey. David C. Hopkins, editor. American School of Oriental Research, Boston.
