The agroecology of an early state: new results from Hattusha

A remarkable archaeological discovery at Hattusha, the Late Bronze Age capital of the Hittite Empire, reveals a vast underground silo complex containing intact grain stores. This finding offers an unprecedented glimpse into how the Hittite state mobilized crop production through extensive, low-input cultivation strategies, primarily focusing on hulled wheats and barley. By combining archaeobotanical analysis with stable isotope determinations and functional weed ecology, researchers have uncovered new insights into Hittite agricultural practices and their political implications. The study highlights how taxation of extensively produced grain in the 16th century BCE sustained this ancient state, providing broader implications for understanding the politics and ecology of expansive territorial states in Western Asia.

Diffey, C., Neef, R., Seeher, J., & Bogaard, A. (2020). The agroecology of an early state: new results from Hattusha. Antiquity, 94(377), 1204–1223. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2020.172