A 3,500-year-old Hittite sword, believed to be one of only three known examples worldwide, is currently exhibited at the Kastamonu Museum. The sword is part of a special bronze artifacts exhibition organized to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye, titled “100 2 Temporary Museum Exhibitions Project.” Alongside 51 other artifacts, the Hittite sword is drawing significant interest from visitors.
Measuring 42 centimeters (16.5 inches) long and 6 centimeters wide, the sword stands out as one of the museum’s most captivating pieces.
Kastamonu Museum Director Erol Kale emphasized the importance of the museum’s collection, stating that the museum itself is housed in a historic building dating back to 1911. He explained that the building originally served as a storage facility from 1941 for historical artifacts collected from surrounding provinces such as Kastamonu, Çankırı, Çorum, Karabük and Sinop. As the collection grew, the site was officially turned into a museum in 1952 and has functioned as such ever since.
Kale added that the museum’s current inventory includes 1,888 archaeological items, nearly 32,000 coins and over 6,000 ethnographic objects.
Highlighting recent developments, Kale noted that this year the Ministry of Culture and Tourism launched a significant initiative. As part of the “100 2 Temporary Museum Exhibitions" project, we hosted a bronze artifacts exhibition for the first time, which has attracted a great deal of visitor interest. Among these important pieces is the Hittite sword,” he said.
Regarding the sword’s origins, Kale explained that archaeological evidence indicates Hittite settlements exist in the region, particularly in the Devrekani district, where the museum has conducted extensive salvage excavations over the years. The Hittite sword itself was discovered during a surface survey in 1992 in the Pınarbaşı district.
He stressed the sword’s rarity and historical significance, noting that it is one of only a few examples worldwide, with others located in the Çorum and Amasra museums. The sword dates back approximately 3,500 years to the Hittite period and is crafted using bronze casting techniques, featuring a highly symmetrical design. Kale pointed out that this find suggests the Hittite presence extended over a larger area than previously understood.
