Leave no stone unfinished: the Tudhaliya relief at Alalah in the sculptural production of Hittite Anatolia

Abstract: This article focuses on the analysis of the so called, Tudhaliya relief found during the excavations of Alalah/Tell Açana in the Amuq region at the beginning of the 20th century. The hieroglyphic inscription identified two out of the three figures as prince Tudhaliya and his wife, who were in Alalah when it became part of the Hittite empire. This is one of the few well-dated reliefs in Hittite art, where the hieroglyph inscription and its historical value have been investigated, but both the stone orthostat and the figurative representation require a more in-depth analysis. This contribution aims at identifying specific iconographic elements, work traces and features that help us in locating it in a specific stone carving tradition and possibly specific workshop during the Late Bronze Age. Specific Hittite features on this monument clearly suggest the influence of an iconography related to central Anatolia; its unfinished status provides valuable clues on the carving process employed; its subsequent reuse together with local sculptures related to the Western Syrian tradition help in better understanding cultural background and historical context.