Hittite Dictionary Volume P, fascicle 1: pa- to para

The Hittite language, the earliest preserved member of the Indo-European family of languages, was written on clay tablets in central Asia Minor over a span of five hundred years (c. 1650-1180 b.c.), during which many political powers in the Near East rose, flourished, and eventually declined. Today, the language is studied for a variety of reasons.

Historical linguists examine Hittite texts to better understand the relationships between different languages within the Indo-European family, as well as to gain insight into the probable structure of their common ancestor, Proto-Indo-European. Historians use Hittite annals, treaties, royal edicts, and political correspondence to reconstruct the sequence of events on the international stage of mid-second-millennium Western Asia.

Anthropologists, mythographers, and scholars of comparative religion delve into the wealth of Hittite religious texts, exploring myths, magical rituals for healing, and festivals dedicated to the empire's gods. Researchers interested in the history of law uncover ancient legal precedents that have endured to this day. Throughout these different disciplines, a common reliance on written texts is evident - the understanding of the Hittite language serves as a limit that hinders further exploration.

Overall, the study of the Hittite language plays a crucial role in advancing knowledge across various fields, shedding light on the linguistic, historical, religious, and legal aspects of ancient societies in the Near East.

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