Hirmer Fotoarchiv Muenchen

The northwest gallery of the Yazilikaya sanctuary, called Chamber A. On the left side of the wall farthest from the viewer is King TudhÉaliya IV in the embrace of his guardian god. Closer to the observer on the left side is the “dirk god”—an underworld deity whose body is a sword with a pair of lions at its hilt, and whose head is that of a god wearing traditional religious headgear.

On the right side of the gallery is a procession of twelve sickle bearing gods.

Yazilikaya’s mountainous terrain, and the recesses which conceal this magnificent outdoor temple are reflected in the name of the site which means “Inscribed Rock” in Turkish.