Archaeologists have uncovered a previously unknown Indo-European language in the ancient city of Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite Empire. This discovery was made during recent excavations in the Boğazköy-Hattusa region of Turkey.
The language, referred to as the "language of the land of Kalašma," was found inscribed on a cuneiform tablet within a Hittite ritual text. Kalašma is believed to have been located on the northwestern edge of the Hittite heartland, possibly in the area of modern-day Bolu or Gerede.
Professor Daniel Schwemer from the University of Würzburg, who is leading the study of this find, noted that the Hittites had a unique interest in recording rituals in foreign languages. The newly discovered language adds to the linguistic diversity already present in the Hattusa archives, which include passages in Luwian, Palaic, and Hattic.
While the text in this newly discovered language remains largely incomprehensible, Professor Elisabeth Rieken from Marburg University has confirmed that it belongs to the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family. Despite its geographical proximity to the area where Palaic was spoken, the text appears to share more features with Luwian. Further research is needed to determine how closely related the Kalašma language is to other Luwian dialects in Late Bronze Age Anatolia.
This discovery provides valuable insights into the linguistic landscape of Late Bronze Age Anatolia and highlights the Hittites' interactions with neighboring cultures and languages.