Ready in existence in Old Hittite times. The Hittite names, however, are unknown.

A complex of rooms at Qadir Höyük near the village of Peyniryemez (Yozgat prov-

Ince), dated early in the Old Hittite period, is interpreted as “part ot a temple, but

This cannot be read from the published plans. A stone bull figurine, “nearly identi-

Cal to examples from nearby Ali?ar,” surely cannot be treated as a cult object.

The only two temples of the Old Hittite period known to date come from Sarissa

(modern Ku§akh, 50 km south of Sivas), dated to the sixteenth Century BC.

334 Müller-Karpe (2003: 389f.) considera Temples 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 the earliest ones in the Upper

City of Hattusa. Archaeologists also point out the similarities between the finds mventory from

gerne temples in. the Upper City and the temples of Sarissa/Ku§akli; see, e.g., V. Müller-Harpe

2006.

335 T. Özgüg 1988: 76, 108, 123f., plan 1,

Mielke 2006: 253ff.

Yildmm 2000; 2005: 775; cf. also Sipahi - Yildmm 2001; 2002.

338 Gorny 2006: 34; Paley 2006; Yüdmm - Gates 2007; 204. Gorny’s suggested Identification of Cadir

Höyük with Zipianda appears unlikely, see n. 108.

339 P.I. Kunibolm and M. Newton apud Müller-Karpe 2002a: 342: “The dendrochronological dates

For timbers from both the North Terraee Temple and Building C indicate that the buildings

Were erected at roughly the same time, in the mid and late 16th Century BC, respectively.”

According to P.I. Kumholm, M. Newton and N. Hiebes (apud Müller-Karpe 20Ö4b: 163), the last

Preserved rings are: North Terraee Temple 1582 (-S4/-7) BC and Building C 1523 (44/- 1) Bl, cf.

Also Mielke 2006: 266ff. This difference in dendrochronological dates contradiets a Suggestion

made by Müller-Karpe (2004a: 109) that Hantili I (in the short chronology) or possibly Telipinu

(in the middle chronology) founded the town in the 1520s.

The Old Hittite Period 65

Temple I on the North Terraee was located near the northeastern gate,'""* while

341

Building C stood close to the hilltop. ' The two feature a similar ground plan with

An adytum and a large number of rooms around a central eourtyard. Building C is

believed to liave been the temple of the local Storm-god: ' 4 " burned down during

Tuthaliya IIFs reign, it was never rebuilt. Temple I functioned until the thirteenth

Century BC.

Geomagnetic prospection in September 2006 at Oymaaga? near Vezirköprü, a site

Identified by German archaeologists with the holy town of Nerik, led to the tracing

Of the outlines of a monumental building with three courtyards. Pending excava-

Tions to determine the function and dating of this structure, one can hypothesize

That it was the temple of the local Storm-god.

Temple personnel was responsible for preparing the daily sacrifices, took care

That festivals were celebrated on schedule, and protected temple property. The du-

Ties of this personnel and of different Professional groups of temple workers are de-

scribed more extensively in later texte' (see 3.2.6).

Male priests predominated in the priesthood, with a strict hierarchy in force in

this gruup. 3 * 4 The highest ranking priests were the SANGA-priests (Hittite iankun-

ni),'”° also described as suppaes ‘sacred.’ 346 Texts from the Empire period indicate

That their Colleges in the more important cult centers like ArinraT and Hanhana

Were differentiated depending on the importance of the deity they served. High priests

^L-j.MCSgANGA GAL) 348 were distinguished from those of low rank (L ^" v1 ‘^SANGä

340 Müller-Karpe 1995: 9ff.; 1996: 70fr

341 Müller-Karpe 1998: 96ff.; 2000a: 312ffr; 2001: 226ff.

342 Cf. remarks by Müller-Karpe (1998: 101) on the reiation between the adytum of Building C and

The huwasi -sanetuary outside the city (see below). A libation vessel shaped like a pair of bulls

was found in Building C, cf. V. Müller-Karpe apud Müller-Karpe 1.998: See also Müller-

Karpe 2000a: 323.

343 CTH 264, “Instrucfcions to the temple officials ” Sturtevant 1934; Korosec 1974; Taggar'Cohen

2006a: 33£f.

On Hittite priesthood, see, in general, Ki.in.ger 2002a; 2003-2005; Taggar-Cohen 2006a.

Taggar-Cohen 2006a: 140ff.

Taggar-Cohen (2006a: 148ff.) considers the SANGA-priests with this title a different type of