| 8 - 21 June, 22 June - July 5, 6 - 19 July | ||
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Since the time of the Bible, the land and people of Anatolia have played a major role in the history of civilizations. From the dawn of time it was in Anatolia that the history of mankind began to unfold. Some of the earliest towns ever established existed on its soil. Writing was first employed in Anatolia in the days of the city-states. Thousands of Assyrian cuneiform tablets have been found in the Assyrian colony of Kültepe. These tablets represent priceless windows into the contemporary life.
When Western travelers first discovered the immense ruins of Bogazköy in the 19th century, the finds seemed at first to be a complete puzzle. But the memory of the Hittites had not perished completely; there was after all a famous reference in the Old Testament to "Uriel the Hittite". And so we began to discover that the unique art of the Hittites had developed from a happy cross-fertilization of the cultures of the indigenous Hattic and immigrant Indo-European people. About 1250 B.C. another onset of invasions began and the civilizations of the Hittites and their neighbors the Mycenaean Greeks were destroyed so thoroughly that, as we have seen, all memory of the Hittites was lost until modern times. In Central Asia Minor, the Phrygians created a great civilization, which belonged essentially to the Greek sphere but was also strongly influenced by the Neo-Hittites and Urartians. Participants in this tour will be led into the depth of the Phrygian Highlands within the provinces of Eskisehir, Afyon and Kütahya triangle. Peten Travel have been arranging our tours to Turkey since 1996. They are a small, highly professional company, with their own innovative range of tours, all reflecting the company's in depth research, fine historians and attention to detail. This 14 day tour takes you to some amazing places, from Istanbul and Ankara to the Hittite capital of Bogazkoy-Hattusas, the rock churches of Cappadocia, many of the ancient Phrygian sites and Gordium, home of the fabled King Midas. The excavation season in Turkey is through the months of June, July and August, giving you the opportunity and privilege of meeting the excavation teams and local archeologists. Please contact the office if you would like to receive further information about this unique tour. 01293 455 356 The Hittites and Phrygians, a unique trip into the heart of the forgotten kingdoms IN ASSOCIATION WITH PETEN TRAVEL |
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| Departure date: | Sunday, June 8 2008 to June 21 |
| Sunday, June 22 2008 to July 5 | |
| Sunday, July 6 2008 to July 19 |