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Which writing materials did Hittite scribes use besides clay tablets?
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Anatolian languages
Distribution of the Anatolian languages.
In addition to clay tablets, Hittite scribes utilized two other primary writing materials: wood and metal.1
- Wood: Hittite texts frequently mention "wooden tablets," which were wooden writing boards covered with wax. While one such board was discovered in a shipwreck off the Lycian coast, no examples with intact writing have survived, leaving it unclear whether they were inscribed with cuneiform or hieroglyphics.1
- Metal: For special purposes, tablets were crafted from iron, bronze, silver, and gold. Although historical texts reference these materials—such as a famous peace treaty between Ramses II and Hattusilis III that was reportedly inscribed on silver—the only metal tablet recovered by the early 21st century was a bronze tablet found in Hattusa. This artifact contains a state treaty between King Tudhaliyas IV and his vassal Kurunta.1