The Mystery of Eflatunpınar

The Eflatunpınar Hittite Water Monument, located in the Beyşehir district of Konya and dated to the last quarter of the 13th century BC, attracts the attention of local and foreign visitors.
Although the Beyşehir district of Konya is not within the Kızılırmak arc, it is a real Hittite homeland. It is even possible to see gigantic, mysterious works that have been forgotten, in areas that would never come to mind in the region. Eflatunpınar, a marvel of water engineering, is one of them. The Hittites are known as “the people with a thousand Gods”. This feature, which they are probably proud of, brings many mysteries. For example, springs were sacred and they wanted to immortalize this holiness with these kinds of monuments. Eflatunpınar is one of the examples that have survived to the present day. It is approximately 7 meters wide, 4 meters high and the sacred pool in front of it is 30 x 35 meters in size. Last year, it was transformed into the Hittite Archeology Park with the work of the Konya Museum. It is estimated that the monument was built in the first quarter of the 13th century BC. The emperor of the period was Tuthaliya IV and the Hittites were in the process of collapse. It is thought that the monument was not completed for this reason.
PURPOSE OF BUILDING UNCERTAIN FOR NOW
God, goddess and genie figures can be seen on the 19 embossed stone blocks on the side of the monument facing the sacred pool. The Storm God and the Sun Goddess couple are placed in the center. The 10-winged elf and bull-man on either side are carrying a sun disc. In the lower row there are five Gods with their hands crossed on their chests. The two leading figures are Mountain Gods, and the Underground Spring Gods are between them. During religious ceremonies, the water flowing from the holes was collected in a small reservoir behind the monument and turned into a fountain. After the restoration, a continuous flow of water was ensured from the fountains.
In addition to the aesthetic and religious arrangement, a meticulous water engineering work stands out in the monument. The spring waters coming out from the side and the back were given to the monument and the pool with a fine workmanship. Later, these were connected to the stream formed by the springs. The pool looks like a small dam. Today, this is the place for the people of the region to cool off, fish, carry drinking water to their homes and seek healing. The situation was probably the same thousands of years ago as it is today. Thus, a Hittite water engineering monument continues to function for thousands of years, and an old natural belief tradition is revived. However, it is not known exactly what the monument symbolizes and why it was built. According to Ekrem Akurgal and James Mellaart, it is associated with the nearby Fasıllar monument. German researcher Kurt Bittel claims that it could be a victory monument built by King Tuthaliya. Archaeologist Sırrı Özenir reminds that there may be the Arimmata Pool, which is indicated as a border on the newly found tablet in Boğazkale (Hattusa). In short, the monument remains its mystery.