Yalburt Monument in Konya

The Yalburt Monument is situated in a grassy area called Yalburt, 23 km northwest of Ilgın in Konya. It was discovered by chance in 1970, and excavations were conducted between 1970 and 1975 under the direction of Raci Temizer, then director of the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Following these excavations, the monument was restored to its current condition.

The monument consists of a rectangular pool measuring 13 by 8 meters, with its upper row formed by 20 limestone blocks. The inner-facing surfaces of these blocks are inscribed with hieroglyphic writings. The spring that originally supplied water to 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, covering three sides of the pool—the south, west, and north. It remains uncertain whether the fourth side (east) originally featured similar blocks. On the first block of the inscription, the name of King Tuthaliya is clearly visible alongside a winged sun symbol.

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

The inscription records the wars and accomplishments of Tuthaliya IV. The monument was likely constructed as a pool or water reservoir, akin to other Hittite water monuments such as Eflatunpınar.

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