The first peace treaty in history: A fragment of a 3,200-year-old peace treaty found in Turkey

The first peace treaty in history: A fragment of a 3,200-year-old peace agreement found in Turkey

In the ancient city of Hattusa in Turkey's Çorum province, a 3,200-year-old stone tablet fragment belonging to the "Treaty of Kadesh" — the first written peace treaty in history — has been discovered. This was announced by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, on September 21 — International Day of Peace.

Scientific research shows that this cuneiform-inscribed fragment belongs to one of the Akkadian-language copies of the "Treaty of Kadesh" concluded between the Hittite King Hattusili III and the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II. The tablet was found in the area where the royal palace was located.

The fragment records rules regulating the fate of fugitives between the two states. In particular, it outlines the conditions for returning those who fled from Egypt to Hittite lands or vice versa, as well as preventing the destruction of people's homes.

At the same time, scientists emphasize that it is incorrect to call these rules "refugee law" in the modern sense, as they were mutual diplomatic obligations between the two rulers.

The "Treaty of Kadesh" was concluded as a result of a long-standing struggle between Egypt and the Hittite Empire for the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly the territories of modern-day Syria. In 1274 BC, the Egyptian army led by Ramesses II fought the Hittites near Kadesh, but neither side was able to achieve victory.

Fifteen years later, around 1259 BC, a formal peace treaty was signed between Ramesses II and Hattusili III (the subsequent ruler).

Although the original diplomatic documents of the treaty were written on silver tablets, they have not survived to this day. However, its text has been preserved through the writings of both civilizations:

The Egyptian version was carved in hieroglyphs on temple walls.

From the Hittite archives, copies written on clay tablets in Akkadian, the international language of that era, were found.

The first fragments of the treaty were found during excavations conducted in Hattusa between 1906 and 1912. Today, its parts are preserved in museums in Istanbul, Ankara, Berlin, and St. Petersburg. Additionally, a copy of the "Treaty of Kadesh" is displayed at the UN headquarters in New York as a symbol of international diplomacy.