Women In The Social Life of Ancient Anatolia

Women In The Social Life of Ancient AnatoliaThe Anatolian peninsula, by virtue of its position and its cultural depth, is one of the most cherished landscapes in the history of civilization. With a past that reaches back to humanity’s earliest epochs, Anatolia has been home to many civilizations. For this reason, the region has long stood at the center of scholarly inquiry. Its archaeological remains and historical sources keep drawing the eye.One feature that sets Anatolia apart from other geographies is its character as a crossroads for many people. It carries within itself the traces they left behind. Beyond all else, woman made her voice resound across this land. She stamped her mark on social development and showed how powerful she could be. At times she was revered as a goddess. At times she made her name through fecundity and through successes in many fields.In Anatolia woman also asserted mastery over nature and became the patron of living beings. A signal trait was her care for animals. Hence the renown of the “mistress of animals.” The archaeological remains that have reached us bear witness. Depictions of goddesses in the company of animals make this bond visible.For centuries woman in Anatolia preserved her eminent place and, with a commanding presence, left her imprint on history. Even peoples arriving from outside, though steeped in patriarchy, were influenced by the values regarding women that had taken root in these lands, and they accorded woman her due. Anatolia has become closely associated with a distinct feminine identity. Alongside its many other qualities, one defining feature of this soil is its esteem for women. Anatolia exalted woman. She inscribed her name not only in social life but also in political affairs. Among the Hittites, for example, queens as royal consorts succeeded in carrying their names into treaty texts. We even witness Queen Pudu-Hepa asserting her presence in international relations and conducting correspondence independently of the Hittite king.Anatolia also raised women to the work of governing, as in Caria. Princess Ada, who ruled in the Carian kingdom, is among the most striking examples.Anatolia likewise gave shelter to the warrior women known as the Amazons. Their leaders left their stamps on local centers. That several prominent cities in this land bear the names of Amazon women is one of the clearest signs of their legacy.The Anatolian woman, with her gifts and accomplishments, could not be contained by this geography alone. In time she reached outward to the wider world. The oracular and kindred powers attributed to her crossed the borders of the peninsula and traveled west.