The Hurrians in Afrin

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The source meticulously examines the Hurrian presence in the Afrin valley, Syria, prior to 2010, relying on archaeological and textual evidence. It establishes the Hurrians as a significant Bronze Age civilization whose influence extended across northern Mesopotamia and Syria, forming the cultural bedrock of the Mitanni kingdom. The document details the methodology for inferring Hurrian presence in Afrin, given the lack of direct evidence, by analyzing broader Hurrian contexts, Mitanni hegemony in northern Syria, and material culture from sites like Ain Dara. It highlights linguistic evidence, such as Hurro-Akkadian, and social customs from Nuzi tablets as indicators of a widespread Hurrian population in the region. The source explicitly refutes speculative claims linking the site of Cyrrhus (Nebi Huri) to the ancient Hurrians, asserting it is a much later Hellenistic foundation. Ultimately, it concludes that while the Hurrians assimilated over time, their cultural and religious legacy, exemplified by the Ain Dara temple and the Afrin Stele, persisted in the region's Syro-Hittite and Aramean cultures.

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This page was created on: June 14, 2025 and last updated: