Fragment of oldest known peace treaty found in Turkey
3 hours ago
- Archaeologists in Turkey discovered a 3,400-year-old fragment of the world's oldest known peace treaty, the Treaty of Kadesh, signed around 1269 B.C. between Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II and Hittite king Hattusili III.
- The newly found cuneiform tablet fragment details provisions for treating refugees, including a prohibition on mutilating or destroying their homes and families, reflecting early human rights considerations.
- The treaty ended a lengthy war between ancient Egypt and the Hittite Empire, established eternal peace and fraternity, and has modern parallels in the United Nations ideals, with a replica displayed at the UN Conference Building.
- Ongoing excavations at Hattusha may reveal more parts of the treaty, which was also inscribed in hieroglyphics at Thebes and in Akkadian cuneiform fragments first discovered in the early 20th century.