At the foot of mount Ericyes, on the Central Anatolian highlands in modern day Turkey sit the ruins of Kültepe, also known as Kanesh. The inhabitants of the nearby pastoral villages had no knowledge of this site’s importance until its excavation in the late Twentieth Century AD. Now, the site of Kültepe-Kanesh is on the UNESCO Word Heritage Tentative list, and is studied by archaeologists and historians alike across the globe. This site is located on a strategic position, situated on a mound on the intersection of two valleys, and is located in the middle of the Anatolian highlands. Kültepe-Kanesh shows signs of occupation since the earliest period of the Bronze Age, starting in 3300 BC, and ending during the Roman Empire’s occupation. The importance of Kültepe cannot be overstated; it is here that the Hittite people originate, as descendants of King Anitta of Kültepe, who moved his capital from here to Hattusa. Some of the earliest records of Akkadian, the lingua franca of the Bronze Age, were recovered in the archives at this site. Several levels of construction show the palace of the king of Kültepe -Kanesh, the Warshama Palace, named after one of the most important kings of Kültepe, who erected a sumptuous palace at the heart of the city. In the Twentieth Century BC, Kültepe becomes the base for one of the most important trading colonies of the Near East. The karum, as it was called, was an Assyrian trading outpost, which hosted a community of Assyrian merchants and their families. These merchant communities settled into important trading nodes across the near east, and expanded Assyrian trade relations and wealth while maintaining strong links to their homelands. The karum was the centre of international exchange in goods and diplomacy, as well as the site of the cuneiform archive repository. These cuneiform tablets are a true treasure for archaeologists, as they cover a broad range of topics concerning daily life, administration and personal and economic relationships between the people of Kültepe.

This figure is an example of what archaeologists call ‘Kültepe -style’ idols. These are comparable to, and probably evolve from, the ‘violin-type’ idols of the Neolithic period. These idols are made of gypsum alabaster, and have been discovered in sacred places such as tombs and shrines. The composition this idol follows is consistent with its type: a disc-shaped body, inscribed and decorated on one side, and surmounted by an elongated neck and head. Patterns of what seems to be ropes cross their bodies, intersecting in the middle. Kültepe idols vary in their physiognomy, with some heads remaining flatter or arrow shaped. This example depicts a more anatomically realistic head, a stylistic preference found in the later period of the third millennium BC. These types of idols have strong associations with fertility and motherhood. The depiction of smaller figures on its ‘belly’ suggests these are fertility figures, representing pregnancy. The ropes again cross over the children, perhaps symbolism for carrying children both in the womb and once they are born. There is, however, some stylistic variation – idols can often have two heads, and carry one or two children. Because of this, it has been suggested by scholars that these idols may represent specific families or specific couples, perhaps, of gods and goddesses. Additionally, it is possible these were depictions of existing families, who used these idols as representations they could pray towards for protection. Nonetheless, the primary notions of motherhood and fertility are evident, as the genitals depicted are exclusively female. Fertility idols have appeared consistently in European and Mediterranean cultures from the Palaeolithic until the Chalcolithic. This was an important spiritual and existential concern, and it is no surprise that a great number of these idols are recovered in domestic contexts. Taken alongside the cuneiform records, figures like this from domestic contexts provide a unique glimpse into the lives of ordinary Kültepeans.