The Heracles-Melqart Head from The Hatay Museum

The subject of our study is the head of Heracles found during the 1932-1934 excavation season at the Çatal Höyük settlement in the Amik Plain within the borders of Hatay. It is exhibited in the Hatay Museum and carved from limestone. That Heracles is in an attacking position with his club raised behind his head has enabled the statue to be evaluated within the “Cypriot Heracles” or “Heracles-Melqart” typology in the literature. Although this type has been found to be widespread throughout the Mediterranean world considering examples from Cyprus particularly, then Egypt, Al Mina, and Attica, this singular example from Anatolia demonstrates the unique value of our study. As a result of stylistic evaluation, we conclude that the Heracles head was made in Cyprus in the last quarter of the sixth century BC in the Heracles-Melqart type. Its typology was shaped by the cultural influences in Idalion or possibly Gorgoi, but by a master who closely followed the sculpture styles of Rhodes and Athens. The typological difference between the head from Hatay and the Cypriot examples can be explained by locality. In terms of meaning, the Cypriot example indicates that the Heracles-Melqart typology may be a combination of a local cult and Heracles-Melqart iconography in Anatolia. Therefore, the Heracles head at Çatal Höyük was produced in a local workshop in the late sixth century BC. Although faithful to Cypriot typology, it appears more as an Anatolian artefact in terms of meaning.