Top News by Dr. Fred C. Woudhuizen [ 1959 - 2021 ]
Talanta, Proceedings of the Dutch Archaeological and Historical Society 50, 2018
Given that James Mellaart forged numerous documents which he claimed were of Late Bronze Age orig... more Given that James Mellaart forged numerous documents which he claimed were of Late Bronze Age origin, the authenticity of the Luwian hieroglyphic texts retrieved from his estate inevitably has to be re-examined. However, the inspection of Mellaart’s study (see Zangger’s contribution “Mellaart’s Fantasies”, this volume, pp. 125-182) yielded no proof that Mellaart had fabricated these Luwian hieroglyphic texts, the most prominent of which was Beyköy 2. The complexity of the grammar, the many idiosyncrasies and the severity of Mellaart’s misunderstandings of the text virtually rule out the possibility that he himself fabricated this document. It never changed in appearance while it was in Mellaart’s possession. He did not alter even a single letter of the attempted translation that he attributed to Alkım. On the other hand, four different stages of arrangements were needed before the order of the blocks was correct. If the document was falsified, there are a number of idiosyncrasies suggesting that the forger must have been a fool; at the same time there are intricacies that would have required the forger to have been a highly-skilled linguist. What is more, the text contains expressions which were not known in 1989, when Beyköy 2 was first publicly presented. For instance, the title of “great prince” was discovered only much later in the rock reliefs at Latmos. Among the most important indications that Beyköy 2 was not a fake created by Mellaart are his utter misinterpretations of the contents. Mellaart lacked the skills to interpret the texts, translated a number of phrases wrongly, and missed even the gist of the document. As a consequence, there is enough reason to assume that the Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions from the Mellaart files, and particularly the Beyköy 2 text, are not falsifications but genuine discoveries.
TALANTA – Proceedings of the Dutch Archaeological and Historic Society, 2018
In addition to numerous fabricated documents the estate of the British prehistorian James Mellaar... more In addition to numerous fabricated documents the estate of the British prehistorian James Mellaart (1925–2012) also contained Mellaart’s tracing of several Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions, including a particular prominent one. Mellaart said this inscription was found in 1878 in the village of Beyköy, approximately 34 kilometers north of Afyonkarahisar in western Turkey. A number of stones made up a frieze about 29 meters in length and 35 centimeters in height. It evidently took a few attempts until the correct sequence of the elements was established. The inscription contains 50 phrases and would thus rank as the longest known Bronze Age hieroglyphic document. It says that it had been commissioned by great king Kupantakuruntas of Mira to commemorate his deeds, and in so doing it provides a detailed account of his realm and conquests. The text dates back to the upheavals of the Sea Peoples, ca. 1190–1180 BC. It relates the maritime conquests in the eastern Mediterranean under the command of great prince Muksus from the Troad. The western Anatolian naval forces proceeded all the way to Ashkelon in southern Palestine, bordering on Egypt.
Books by Dr. Fred C. Woudhuizen [ 1959 - 2021 ]
Papers by Dr. Fred C. Woudhuizen [ 1959 - 2021 ]
Talanta, Proceedings of the Dutch Archaeological and Historical Society 52. Pp. 105-119, 2020
In this paper two issues are addressed, (1) the status of the Ahhiyawan (= Mycenaean Greek) digni... more In this paper two issues are addressed, (1) the status of the Ahhiyawan (= Mycenaean Greek) dignitary Tawagalawas and (2) the dating of the so-called Tawagalawas letter. It will be argued that, against the backdrop of the relevant Mycenaean Greek archaeological and mythical data, it is unlikely that Tawagalawas was himself an Ahhiyawan great king as suggested by a number of Hittitologists. As a king of Thebes, he only comes into consideration as vassal of the latter great king. Furthermore, as far as the dating of the Tawagalawas letter is concerned, there are presented as much as six arguments against the current assignment to the reign of Hattusilis III (1264-1239 BC) and in favor of an assignment to the reign of the latter’s elder brother and predecessor Muwatallis II (1295-1271 BC).
Hermeneus 75/5. Pp. 318-324, 2003
Tegenwoordig is de mening wijd verbreid dat het probleem van de oorsprong der Etrusken eigenlijk ... more Tegenwoordig is de mening wijd verbreid dat het probleem van de oorsprong der Etrusken eigenlijk niet bestaat, dat wil zeggen: dat het al op een bevredigende wijze is opgelost. Laat niemand zich een rad voor ogen draaien: zolang de Etruskische taal niet ontcijferd is, zolang ook zal het probleem van de oorsprong der Etrusken iedere keer weer de kop opsteken.
Tijdschrift voor Mediterrane Archeologie 64. Pp. 8-13, 2020
The eruption of the Santorini Volcano and its impact on the Minoan civilization
Abstract. One of ... more The eruption of the Santorini Volcano and its impact on the Minoan civilization
Abstract. One of the most controversial subjects in Mediterranean pre- and protohistory is the dating of the eruption of the volcano on the island of Santorini (ancient Thera). Although adherents of the traditional method of dating and those of the so-called scientific method of dating seem to reach common ground and assign the eruption to ca. 1600-1550 BC, such a date is at odds with the evidence from the Egyptian king lists. A way out of this dilemma is provided by archaeological evidence in the form of tephra found in destruction layers of archaeological sites on Crete. This tephra points to a dating of the Santorini eruption not during Late Minoan IA, as commonly assumed, but at the end of Late Minoan IB, ca. 1450 BC. If correct, it follows that the eruption had a huge impact on Minoan society. From a position of supremacy in the Aegean waters and along the maritime routes to the Levant and Egypt before the eruption owing to its fleet, Crete became the prey of adjacent powers after the eruption and was immediately annexed by the empire of Assuwa or Arzawa from western Turkey and the Mycenaean Greeks from the Greek mainland.
Živa Antika 70. Pp. 17-34, 2020
Abstract. – In the 1980s I treated the shorter but bilingual Sidetic (= from Side in Pamphylia) i... more Abstract. – In the 1980s I treated the shorter but bilingual Sidetic (= from Side in Pamphylia) inscriptions (3rd to 2nd century BC). This led to my analysis of the signary as a combination of signs originating from the Phoenician alphabet and Cypro-Minoan syllabary, the latter having their syllabic value reduced to an alphabetic one according to the acrophonic principle. On the basis of the values of the script thus assured the con- tents of the longer Sidetic inscriptions S I.2.1 and S I.2.5 (both 2nd cen- tury BC) can be interpreted. It turns out that we are not dealing with a dedication by a strategos or mere enumerations of personal names, as commonly assumed, but with dedicatory inscriptions showing, next to the personal names, sufficient evidence of vocabulary words and gram- matical features. These latter are, as to be expected from a methodologi- cal point of view, consistent with the Luwian language. To be more spe- cific, the closest comparative evidence for the Sidetic language is provi- ded by Lycian B, the language of the inhabitants of the region to the west of Side. Accordingly, the Luwian language can be shown to have survived in Side until as late as the 2nd century BC.
Dacia LXII-LXIII. Pp. 331-350, 2018
The Journal of Indo-European Studies 48, 1-2. Pp. 41-60, 2020
Starting from the so-called “Nordwestblock” for criteria, the present investigation seeks to find... more Starting from the so-called “Nordwestblock” for criteria, the present investigation seeks to find out whether this earliest or Old Indo-European layer, datable from c. 3100 BC onwards, is also traceable in the hydronyms, toponyms, and ethnics with a bearing on the peninsulas of the northern Mediterranean, from Iberia in the west to Anatolia in the east. In doing so, as much as 26 Proto-Indo-European roots are selected which are likely to be representative for this earliest Indo-European layer in the Mediterranean, though not necessarily so as these roots are mostly of a common type and of continuous use in the individual languages Indo-European languages subsequently attested in the given regions. In this study, which is inspired by Hans Krahe’s work on Old [Indo-] European river names, the relevant Iberian material is, as far as I know, systematically integrated for the first time.
Baris Gür & Semra Dalkiliç (eds.), A Life Dedicated to Anatolian Prehistory, Festschrift for Jak Yakar, Ankara. Pp. 465-477, 2020
In the present paper the relevant data concerning the Lydian yod-sign will be scrutinized. It wil... more In the present paper the relevant data concerning the Lydian yod-sign will be scrutinized. It will be argued that this sign, contrary to its current transliteration as a secondary n, in line with its epigraphic origin renders the value i 1 and has to be transliterated in contradistinction from the straight iota as i 1. To this aim the use of the sign in grammatical endings and in vocabulary words will be reviewed. Time and again it will appear that the reading of the sign as i 1 results in forms straight for wardly paralleled for the Luwian language. The new reading, amply illustrated in this manner, therefore leads to the conclusion that Lydian, notwithstanding its own dialectal development during the Early Iron Age, is a direct descendant of the Arzawan language of the Late Bronze Age and hence an ordinary Luwian dialect.
Ancient West & East 16. Pp. 271-290, 2017
The present contribution gives an extensive overview of the literature on the Luwian hieroglyphic... more The present contribution gives an extensive overview of the literature on the Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions on the Ankara silver bowl and ends with my own opinion on its dating and interpretation.
Talanta, Proceedings of the Dutch Archaeological and Historical Society 20-21. Pp. 97-108, 1988
Talanta, Proceedings of the Dutch Archaeological and Historical Society 20-12. Pp. 87-96, 1988
Talanta, Publications of the Dutch Archaeological and Historical Society 16-17. Pp. 115-127, 1984
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Top News by Dr. Fred C. Woudhuizen [ 1959 - 2021 ]
Books by Dr. Fred C. Woudhuizen [ 1959 - 2021 ]
Papers by Dr. Fred C. Woudhuizen [ 1959 - 2021 ]
Abstract. One of the most controversial subjects in Mediterranean pre- and protohistory is the dating of the eruption of the volcano on the island of Santorini (ancient Thera). Although adherents of the traditional method of dating and those of the so-called scientific method of dating seem to reach common ground and assign the eruption to ca. 1600-1550 BC, such a date is at odds with the evidence from the Egyptian king lists. A way out of this dilemma is provided by archaeological evidence in the form of tephra found in destruction layers of archaeological sites on Crete. This tephra points to a dating of the Santorini eruption not during Late Minoan IA, as commonly assumed, but at the end of Late Minoan IB, ca. 1450 BC. If correct, it follows that the eruption had a huge impact on Minoan society. From a position of supremacy in the Aegean waters and along the maritime routes to the Levant and Egypt before the eruption owing to its fleet, Crete became the prey of adjacent powers after the eruption and was immediately annexed by the empire of Assuwa or Arzawa from western Turkey and the Mycenaean Greeks from the Greek mainland.