Yalburt Monument in Konya

The Yalburt Monument is located in a grassy area known as Yalburt, 23 km northwest of Ilgın in Konya. It was discovered by chance in 1970. Excavations were carried out between 1970 and 1975 under the direction of Raci Temizer, then director of the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, and the monument was restored to its current state.

It is a rectangular pool measuring 13 by 8 meters, with its top row formed by 20 limestone blocks, whose inner-facing surfaces are inscribed with hieroglyphic writings. The spring that once fed the pool was redirected to nearby villages in the 1970s, leaving the pool dry.

The inward-facing surfaces of the blocks are inscribed with a Luwian text, forming three sides of the pool (south, west, and north). It is unclear whether the fourth side (east) originally had similar blocks. On the first block of the inscription, the name of King Tuthaliya is clearly visible alongside a winged sun symbol.

Most of the blocks were found reused in later structures built in the same area. The current restored arrangement of the blocks is not entirely accurate, and some blocks are missing. According to the studies of Poetto and Hawkins, blocks 1, 16, and 10 are most likely the first three blocks of the inscription, but the exact placement of the remaining blocks remains uncertain.

The inscription recounts the wars and achievements of Tuthaliya IV. The monument was most likely built as a pool or water reservoir, similar to other Hittite water monuments, such as Eflatunpınar.

As of August 2019, the monument is in a severely neglected state. More soil has accumulated in the pool area, making the foundations of the uninscribed northern wall invisible. Block 6 has broken into pieces and toppled over, while blocks 18 and 19, which had previously fallen face down, are now completely buried under the soil.