Anatolian languages

The Anatolian languages are a group of extinct languages, either Indo-European or (in some classifications) closely related to Indo-European, which were spoken in Asia Minor, including Hittite. Other Anatolian languages include Luwian, the language of the script commonly called "Hieroglyphic Hittite" and Palaic. Lydian, Lycian, Pisidian, Sidetic, and Carian are later Anatolian languages that are known from a number of inscriptions; no extended texts survive in them. Other possible Anatolian languages include Mysian, Cappadocian, and Paphlagonian.

Related Topics:
Indo-European - Asia Minor - Hittite - Luwian - Hieroglyphic Hittite - Palaic - Lydian - Lycian - Pisidian - Sidetic - Carian - Mysian - Cappadocia - Paphlagonia

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In 1906 there were excavations in Central Asia Minor by German scientists. At Bogázköy they discovered the capital of the Hittite Empire. It was prosperous from 1900 BC till 1200 BC. Thousands of clay tablets were found, written in cuneiform, most of them from the 17th till the 14th century BC. The Hittite language was deciphered by Bedřich Hrozný in 1916-1917, who discovered that it was an Indo-European language. The Hittite morphology is less complicated than other, older Indo-European languages. Either some Indo-European characteristics disappeared in Hittite or the other languages have innovated. It contains numerous archaisms of great importance. In these archives some other languages were found as well.

Related Topics:
1906 - Asia Minor - Bogázköy - Hittite Empire - 1900 BC - 1200 BC - Cuneiform - 17th - 14th century BC - Bedřich Hrozný - 1916 - 1917 - Indo-European language - Morphology - Archaism

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It is unclear at what point exactly the Anatolian languages became extinct. The areas were heavily Hellenized following the conquests of Alexander the Great, and it is generally thought that by Roman times, the native languages of the area were largely extinct.

Related Topics:
Hellenized - Alexander the Great - Roman

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