The inscriptions found at the Karatepe Aslantaş Open-Air Museum in Osmaniye, where both Anatolian and Phoenician languages are used together, have been added to the UNESCO Memory of the World International Register.
Osmaniye Governor Erdinç Yılmaz expressed his happiness during a press statement at the museum, highlighting the success of collaborative efforts.
Recalling that the museum is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List, Governor Yılmaz said: “The joint efforts of the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University and the Global Strategic Research Association in studying the inscriptions at Karatepe Aslantaş, which feature both Anatolian Hieroglyphs and Phoenician, have yielded results. With the decision made at the UNESCO Executive Board’s session in Paris, the Karatepe inscriptions have now been officially added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register under the name ‘Karatepe Inscriptions.’”
Yılmaz emphasized that the inclusion of the Karatepe Aslantaş inscriptions in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register was a significant achievement. He added: “Our city of Osmaniye is home to settlements that date back to ancient times, and it is rich in historical sites. One of the most important examples of this is the inscriptions in the Aslantaş Open-Air Museum, which have now been recognized on this prestigious list. This recognition is invaluable for the preservation of these works. We place great importance on passing these cultural values on to future generations, especially in terms of tourism, and we are dedicated to preserving them. It is vital for all our people to visit these sites and we know they appreciate them when they do. I hope this decision will lead to positive outcomes.”
The governor was accompanied by Burhan Torun, the provincial director of culture and tourism.
Mustafa Çakar, production director of the Global Support Center, also shared a written statement, underscoring the importance of the Karatepe Aslantaş inscriptions being included in the UNESCO register. He mentioned that this milestone would significantly contribute to promoting the inscriptions and integrating them into world culture, which he believes will benefit both Osmaniye and Türkiye's tourism sector.
