Keywords
Arslantepe
Neo-Hittite period
royal statue
monument burial
city gate
Neo-Hittite period
royal statue
monument burial
city gate
Abstract
In the Iron Age Syro-Anatolian cities the ritual burial of monumental statues depicting royal or
divine images is frequently attested in relevant areas of the urban layout, often related to city gates.
The article discusses the case of the well-known royal statue found buried in the Lions’ Gate inner
chamber at Arslantepe, Malatya, during the excavation by J.L. Delaporte, and the historical and
political meaning of the statue mutilation and deposition.