What types of texts were preserved in the Hittite archives at Hattusa?

The archives of Hattusa contain a vast collection of approximately 30,000 tablets and fragments, which serve as the primary source of knowledge regarding the Hittite civilization. While the majority of these texts are religious in nature—including hymns, prayers, myths, rituals, oracular wisdom, and festival texts—the archives also preserve a wide variety of other materials.12

These collections include:

• Historical and Political Records: These encompass royal annals, autobiographies, political testaments, and edicts that detail military deeds, dynastic struggles, and royal succession.13
• Legal and Administrative Documents: The archives contain the Hittite Law Code, as well as state treaties, instructions for officials, and various administrative records.13
• Scholarly Literature: Scribes maintained a curriculum essential for their training, which included word lists, omens, and ritual prescriptions.1
• Diplomatic Correspondence: Treaties and letters exchanged with foreign powers were often written in Akkadian, the diplomatic language of the period.1

While many important texts were copied repeatedly to ensure their preservation, more ephemeral documents—such as certain letters and oracle recordings—were often recycled after their immediate purpose was served.1