Serhat Alkan

Beekeeping in Anatolia from the Hittites to the present day

In Anatolia, honey bees and beekeeping have long been an important part of the culture. Although some evidence of beekeeping has been found at Çatalhöyük, the very first urban centre in the world, the first definite written evidence about honey bees belongs to the Hittites. This evidence takes the form of tablets in cuneiform writing. Anatolia, which is the meeting point and bridge of three continents, has, due to its location always attracted much interest in beekeeping, development and improvement to reach todays modern form. Although millions of years have passed since the Eocene period when the first bee fossils are found (Winston, 1987), bees still remain important to human beings. Bees have been found consistently throughout Anatolian civilisations. Excavations and documents in Anatolia have revealed evidence of honey, foods made from honey, bees and bee hives. Beekeeping has not only been valued in terms of bees and honey, but has also taken its place in decorative art such as pictures and in the designs of carpets.