THREE NEW HITTITE SEALS IN THE COLLECTION OF ISTANBUL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

This article attempts to read and then date the inscriptions on three seals from the collection at the ？stanbul Archeology Museum. The name of the owner of the first seal is written in Cuneiform Luwian and should be read as: BONUS2 VIR2 Malazi “Good Man Malazi/Malaza”. The name of the owner of the second seal, also written in Cuneiform Luwian, should be read is: BONUS2 VIR2 Palla “Good Man Palla”. Both of these seals can be dated to the 13th century BC, or at latest the early 12th century BC (i.e. the Late Hittite Kingdom period or shortly after) and they belong to the biconvex seal group. The third seal features stylistic elements of the Old HIttite Kingdom period. It contains a frame strip which includes a pattern of semi circles, spiral motifs in the lower part of the legend, and also a knitted pattern just above it