The new project of Turkey ONE Association, brings the inspiring story of Puduḫepa, one of the most influential women known from the Ancient Near East: “As women, we will continue to call for peace for our country and our world by following the footsteps of Puduḫepa, one of the great women heroes of Anatolia.”
The Turkey ONE Association (T-ONE) has launched a project to introduce Puduḫepa, the ‘queen of peace’ of the Hittite Empire to the public, in an effort to initiate social transformation by calling upon the power of women.
Puduḫepa lived in the 13th century BC, the Hittite ruler III. She is the wife of Hattusili and the Queen of the Hittite Empire. Puduḫepa, the most powerful state of her time and the first empire of Anatolia, is one of the important women figures in history.
Puduḫepa had an important role in the Hittite court and international diplomacy of the period. She would appear constantly by the side of her spouse as he made his rulings and decisions. It appears, however, that she was portrayed reigning hand in hand with her spouse rather than subservient to the king. Puduḫepa had the right to use of her own seal, controlled the domestic arrangements of the royal palaces, and judged court cases.
First to engrave the words love and peace on tablets
In the Kadesh Peace Agreement signed between the Hittite King Hattusili III. and the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II in 1285 BC, the seal of Puduḫepa was also included in the Kadesh Peace Agreement, which went down in history as the world’s first written peace agreement. She was the first to engrave the words love and peace on tablets.
With Puduḫepa, for the first time in world history, a woman’s having a say in state administration has been an important step towards equality between women and men.
Speaking of the Hittite queen, historian and writer Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı says: “We need to look at some patterns differently in the ancient world of Puduḫepa. There has always been a strong woman in history, including Puduḫepa. The Hittite state was excellent in the field of astronomy and mathematics and had excellent legal system. They could speak and read other languages besides their own. In front of the tablet, there was a hieroglyph and an image of the ruler, and on the back was written the Puduḫepa text. The name Puduḫepa needs to be eternalize and kept alive.”
Speaking at the launching event of the project, the chairwoman of T-One said, “As women, we will continue to call for peace for our country and our world by following the footsteps of Puduḫepa, one of the great women heroes of Anatolia.”
Puduḫepa will be introduced to the world
The project will be carried out with a series of events to be held in Çorum in the summer of 2022 with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Çorum Governorship and Çorum Municipality, in cooperation with the Çorum Business Women’s Association and Hitit University, and with the organization of T-ONE Association.
T-ONE Association aims to introduce the Hittite queen in many European countries as well.