Some of the museum pieces before they left the site.

A photograph of the so-called ‘Heralds Wall’, during the excavations of 1911-1914, which were undertaken by the British Museum, under the direction of D. G. Hogarth. In 1911 on the field there were D. G. Hogarth himself, R. Campbell Thompson, and T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia").

Karkamış (Carchemish) was an important settlement even before the 2nd millemium BCE. The first Hittite occupation of the city may have taken place for a short period during Mursili I (16th century BCE). Karkamış remained under Mitanni (Hurri) rule during 15th and 14th centuries and then came into full Hittite control during Suppiluliuma I (c. 1330 BCE). Suppiluliuma made it into a vassal kingdom ruled by his son Piyasili, who is also known by his Hurrian name Šarri-Kušuh. Located on the west bank of Euprates river (today right at the border of Turkey and Syria), Karkamış became the administrative capital of the Syrian territories of the Hittites during the Late Bronze Age. After the collapse of the Hittite Empire around 1180 BCE, Karkamış survived as the strongest of the several smaller Neo-Hittite kingdoms established in southeast Anatolia and northern Syria. It was an important trade center and reached its apogee around the 9th century BCE. In the 9th century BCE, the city was under pressure by the Assyrians and it is known that tribute was paid at least in two occasions to the Assyrian Kings Ashurnasirpal II and Shalmaneser III. The city was finally conquered by Sargon II in 717 BCE, during the reign of Karkamış’s last king Pisiri.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen
Sources: Website of ‘hittitemonuments.com’ & Wikimedia .