The excavation of the Katra site by an expert archaeological team composed of Germany, Syria and Italy is arguably the most significant archaeological event of the 21st century. The city of Katra, found in Syria, is perhaps the largest known Bronze Age city in the world. Katra is located about 200 kilometers northeast of Damascus, the capital of Syria, and covers an area of about 100 hectares.
In 2011, due to the political chaos and social unrest in Syria, the archaeological work on the ancient city of Katra, which began in 1999, was forced to be suspended. Katra faces a worrying outlook, just 18 kilometers from the violent syrian city of Homs.
The rise of Catra
Scholars often refer to the grand states founded by the Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, and Hittites as the "Ancient East." However, this definition of the state excluded a series of ancient civilizations that had already emerged during the Bronze Age. It should be known that as early as 3000 or 400 BC, there were cities and states established by the Hurits (ancient Syrian, Palestinian and other ethnic groups) and the Canaanites (the inhabitants of Palestine and Phoenician regions). For a long time, these civilizations and regions were not taken seriously by the academic community, and were mentioned only as an adjunct to Egyptology, Assyrianism, and other disciplines established more than 100 years ago. Thus, for a long time, the situation in ancient Syria was little known and was seen as a "courtyard of transition", a "courtyard" passed by successively by the armies of Assyria, Canaan and Babylon.
However, nearly 10 years of archaeological discoveries have opened an unknown chapter in our history. Before us, they were seen for a long time in ancient Syria as a "courtyard of transition." However, archaeological discoveries in the past 10 years have revealed an unknown chapter in pre-Subhirence. Before us, the astonishing civilizations they created in the Bronze Age unfold in turn. The astonishing civilization created by the Bronze Age is gradually reappearing. The city of Catera is an excellent embodiment of this civilization. To this day, it still hides many historical mysteries.
The ancient cities of Syria were home to outstanding rulers, rich resources and developed commercial trade. These cities gradually formed different countries, and sometimes played an important role in the international politics of the time.
Of course, there was no empire on the banks of the Orontes (i.e., the Assi) that was powerful enough to frighten the whole of Asia. For centuries, these small Syrian states have evolved in a battle between powerful states. As historians believe, these small states are more reminiscent of medieval European principalities. These cities are economically developed and their citizens are wealthy, reaching levels that Italy reached only after 2500 years.
Around 1700 BC, the political map of Syria was already a colorful "rag", like the map of Rus shortly before the medieval Mongol invasion and the map of the Holy Roman Empire that fell in the Napoleonic Wars, and many forces established their own small states in the borderlands between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Moreover, none of these small states formed after a powerful power split into several local areas. There is no tradition of alliances between them, and they often fight. In order to survive in this cruel world, the rulers of some small countries willingly attached their countries to the great powers and persecuted their neighbors. Therefore, it is common for the Syrian land to run amok by the army, the destruction of cities and castles, and the massacre or enslavement of citizens.
Located in a fertile valley east of the Orontes River, Catrah was the capital of one of the most powerful states in Syria at the time. There is evidence that the first citizens lived here in the mid-31st century BC, which lasted until 720 BC. Its heyday lasted from 1500 to 1800 years.
More than 1800 years later, the ancient East began to gradually decline. Egypt split into several parts in the midst of chaos. The state created by the Sumerians withered away and withdrew from the stage of history. Mesopotamia was occupied by nomadic peoples, and the state established by the Egyptians soon fell into Asian hands. The ancient East faced a situation of reorganizing the forces of all sides. In this historical period, the outstanding performance was Katra.
The reason why Catra has been able to become a rich and influential city is largely related to its unique geographical location. The city is located on the edge of the Syrian steppe, and the wind blowing from the Mediterranean Sea brings it abundant rainwater, and its artificial irrigation system is not worried about water storage. The land is rich in grain and is also grown with crops that are only found in Mediterranean countries: yellow rice, barley, olives, and figs and almonds.
Archaeologists have found that in the mid-31st century BC, the outskirts of Catra were covered with small settlements of dense agricultural labor. These residents also work as logging. The forest here has been almost cut down. Presumably, they cut down trees to heat homes, while the area cleared from broad-leaved forests was used for farming and grazing. It is worth noting that Catrah is also located at the intersection of two of the most important trade routes: one extending from east to west, connected to mesopotamia and the Mediterranean coast, and the other from north to south, connecting with arab countries. In front of the city gate was a large lake. Today, the lake here has dried up, and at that time, its area reached 70 hectares. Scholars have excavated from the lake a large number of the remains of ducks and geese that were stocked by the inhabitants at that time, as well as the remains of many freshwater mollusks. These mollusks may have been an important food for the inhabitants of Catra.
Merchants from outside came from all over the world to this rich oasis in the desert. They used donkeys to bring bundles of spices from Arab countries and pieces of azureite from Afghanistan. Some of these goods flowed into the palace or the families of the citizens here, and some were transferred to other regions. Archaeologists have even found handmade amber products here——— lion heads, and the amber used for processing is brought from the shores of the Baltic Sea.
The abundance of goods brought many benefits to Catera and made the country stronger. At that time, the rulers of Catra controlled most of the land in Syria and Lebanon. In cuneiform archives found from the Malian capital in the middle reaches of the Euphrates River, catela is often mentioned as its ally and trading partner. Even King Hammurabi, the creator of the Babylonian Code———, wrote to King Katra.
Majestic castles in the sky
The castles of Catra exhibit distinct features of the Bronze Age. The center of the city is the Royal Palace, and other administrative buildings are built around the palace. In the mid-14th century BC, the palace was destroyed by the Hittites.
During the Bronze Age, the rulers of the great powers in Syria——— Mali, Ajawaw and Katra———, seemed to be competing with each other to see whose palaces were more magnificent and majestic. Built around 1750 BC, Catra's Royal Palace resembled the famous Mari Palace of the time. In a letter (18th century BC) written by king Uganite of Catra, he proposed to visit Mali to see the unique palace architecture there.
We do not yet know whether the ruler of Catra actually visited Mali after making this request, but one of his daughters married the king of Mali and became empress, and she will certainly write to her father about the palace where she lived.
The architectural styles of the two palaces are very similar, even the layout of the halls and the number of doors are exactly the same, but catra is 3 times the size of Mali. The Royal Palace of Catras is more majestic than ever.
The rulers of Catra lived a life of pampering, their palaces built on the rock cliffs of the plateau, and the lookouts of the palaces towered into the sky. The 20-meter-high palace is almost like hanging in the air over the city. It is not so much a castle as it is a castle in the sky. Now imagine: there is a 9-storey building with a palace on top of it, and if we stand on the top of the palace and look down, what would it feel like? Aren't you scared? The palace is surrounded by strong, tall walls. Within this thick wall of 5 meters high, countless rooms are built, and a large hall alternates with it. Its majesty surpasses that of the imperial palaces of neighboring states ——— other small countries located in Syria.
The size of the emperor's hall for receiving guests is even more staggering, with an area of nearly 1,500 square meters. This is the largest covered building we know of during the Bronze Age. To build it, they cut down the thousand-year-old cedars of the Lebanese forest and transported them by ox cart to the city of Katra. In the throne hall connected to the living room, a king in a wide purple robe sat high.
On both sides of some rooms, archaeologists have also found well-preserved frescoes, such as those by Cretan painters. From these murals, you can also see marine dolphins, shrimp and palm trees, and you should know that Catra is 1,000 kilometers away from Crete.
Archaeologists estimate that the city of Catera was once inhabited by about 12,000 people. At present, we have only excavated palaces and office buildings, and the houses of the residents here have yet to be excavated.
Italian archaeologist Daniel Mollaki believes that Catra is like a fully functional "closed city". This is by no means speculation. The city was inhabited only by the upper elite: priests, government officials, artists, doctors. There may also be a medical school here. During the excavations, archaeologists found the skull of a man with several drill holes. It is speculated that it may be a drilling teaching tool for medical students.
Elephants in Syria
In 2008, during excavations in Katra, archaeologists discovered 7 large skulls, which aroused the keen interest of scholars. They appear in two different rooms of the palace, but it is entirely possible that they belong to the same animal. After studying the remains, it was finally confirmed that they belonged to the same elephant.
As scholars speculate, elephants have existed in Syria for more than 1,000 years. Obviously, it is difficult to imagine elephants appearing in this desolate environment today. In recent years, scholars have excavated elephant bones from Syria, Iran and southeastern Anatolian plateaus. Zoologists believe that these elephants should be subspecies of the Asiatic (Indian) elephant——— Elephas maximus asurus.
This unexpected discovery is of great significance for further study of "Syrian elephants". It has also attracted widespread attention in other academic fields, especially the room where the bone is emitted, which has aroused many speculations among scholars. The skeleton room is a pit-like bucket room in the basement of the palace, with an area of only 9 square meters, but it is 5 meters high. There is not even a door that should have been there, and you can only enter it from above. Elephant bones are carefully placed on the ground in this pit. The second room is set up higher. But strangely enough, nothing else could be found in either house. Apparently, elephant bones (and perhaps elephant carcasses?) It was hidden in separate rooms.
Why did the remains of an elephant fall into the royal palace? Could it be that elephant meat is a food dish for the holidays? Or, is it loot? It's possible. You know, in the ancient countries of the East, elephant hunting was the prerogative of the emperor. In an inscription by Pharaoh Thutmose III (mid-15th century BC), it is solemnly recorded that the king hunted and killed 120 elephants during a march to Syria. Interestingly, the elephant hunt was carried out only 80 km from the city of Catera. Successive Assyrian emperors also liked to hunt elephants, such as Tigrat Parashar I, who was active from 1117 BC to 1077 BC, and Asura Nasilpa II, who was active from 883 BC to 859 BC. According to written sources, the emperor was most interested in the Orongtes Valley in northern Syria, as well as the valley of the Euphrates River and its tributaries of the East and West countries. According to later reports of Syrian elephants, they were hunted in the 13th century BC.
The remains of elephants found at the site of Catera belong to the late Bronze Age (1500 BC – 1350 BC). Apparently, the leader of the time sat on the emperor's hunting cart and, in order to show his majesty and heroism, killed the elephant and transported it back to the palace. Their hunting ground is not far from the Orontes Valley. At the time, there were herds of elephants walking.
A feast between the yin and yang realms
In 2002, archaeologists found an emperor's mausoleum under the palace, which was hewn into a thick rock. Collapsed walls blocked the entrance, so the cemetery was not looted. For 33 centuries, no one has been here. Its period is about the same as the construction period of the Tutankhamun Mausoleum, but it does not have as much funerary items as it does. Two 85-centimeter-high basalt sculptures stand on either side of the entrance to the main burial chamber, surrounded by gilded fragments that have fallen off. The two statues are identified as carved from the 18th to 17th centuries BC and may have been of two famous rulers of Catra.
Three residences are located next to the main cemetery (total area of 64 m2). Archaeologists have found the remains of nearly 20 people here, all members of the royal family. In addition, more than 2,000 objects have been found in the cemetery, including more than 1,000 gold ornaments, about 250 ceramic cups and plates, Egyptian stone and bronze containers, gem ornaments, circular seals, arrows and manuscripts, and an amber lion's head from the Baltic Sea.
A coffin in the main cemetery, which attracted the attention of archaeologists, was placed on a stone bench containing the remains of a 15-year-old woman. The body was wrapped in two layers of sintered fabric tens of meters long that had been smeared with valuable purple dye. Before the burial, she wore a gorgeous coat, and was later placed to bake at a high temperature of 200 ° C to 250 ° C, probably to avoid the smell of the body.
The inhabitants of Catrah believe that their ancestors were still alive in coffins, but had become ghosts and lived in hades, but they could influence the world. Therefore, every month, I have to make a hearty meal for these ghosts to eat, so that they can treat themselves well. The ancient Syrians imagined hades as a gloomy and dark place, and God was very bad for the dead, giving them filth to eat and drink salt water, so it was the duty of their descendants to take care of the food of their ancestors. Only in this way, when difficulties are encountered, future generations can ask them to help solve them.
Judging from the excavated objects, it is not only a tribute to the deceased, but also a meal with them. There was a custom in Catela to regularly go to the cemetery with other members of the royal family and highly meritorious officials to hold religious ceremonies and eat with the people buried here. Members of this inter-life banquet were seated on the same stone benches that had once been a place for the dead to be temporarily placed. Today, looking at these broken vessels and animal skeletons, it is not difficult to imagine how solemn the ceremony was at that time.
In the summer of 2009, a tomb was found beneath the northwest side of a palace with about 30 skeletons, as well as gold bracelets, rings, valuable female crown-like headdresses, ancient Egyptian vases, rusty copper short swords, and small Egyptian-style masks carved from ivory. It seems that here are buried the emperor's daughter and high-ranking officials. Perhaps the original graves were overcrowded, and they were gradually relocated and buried here.
The fall of Catra
Syrian Bronze Age documents are very rare, and the current history of ancient Syrian cities and states is almost always from Hittite or Egyptian archives. This time, in the city of Catera, 74 cuneiform tables were found, written in a mixture of various languages popular with the local population, with the alphabet in Hurit and the other words in Akkadian. The tables unearthed from the Katra Palace largely belong to the ——— of 1400 BC, a period of ancient Syrian history that we know very little about. Based on these tables, the rulers of the Syrian cities mastered the entire state management system and understood the plans drawn up by the most influential rulers of the time.
For a long time, the shrewd Emperor Catela practiced a completely independent political system, and they were spontaneous and wandered among the Egyptians, Babylonians, and Hittites. However, the glorious Catra eventually went into decline. In the mid-14th century BC, the Near East became the scene of fierce competition between the two superpowers, Egypt and hittites. The result of this struggle has made a series of small states between the "sledgehammer and anvil" fall prey, and Catra is no exception.
The last king of Catela, Itanda, could only rely on a castle guarded by walls to defend the country. Its robust defense system was second to none in Syria at the time. Even today, around the destroyed Katra, we can still see earthen embankments about 20 meters high.
King Itenda was not unprepared for the war he faced. One piece of intelligence told him that the Hittites were about to attack. "Defend the city!" This is his death cry in a letter. There was also a cuneiform table recording his orders to forge 1,860 bronze swords within a time limit——— perhaps at the time, Catera could not find so many young and strong men. The Hittite army was about twice as large as his. Later, the rulers of Catera realized the gravity of the situation and tried to enlist Egyptian help, but the Egyptian pharaohs turned a deaf ear to their request for an alliance.
In 1340 BC, Catela fell and Itanda was executed. For more than 30 centuries, his small dynasty was drowned in the dust of history and became a forgotten dynasty. Later, only a few insignificant settlements remained on the original site of Catra, which remained until The Byzantine era.