Lost Records of Kanesh: What We Found in the Ash

An ancient fire may have destroyed part of Kanesh, but it also left behind a remarkable record of daily life. Thousands of clay tablets preserve the words of Assyrian traders who lived and worked far from home. At Kültepe in central Türkiye, those records describe deals, debts, family ties, and travel between Assyria and Anatolia. Excavations led by Tahsin Özgüç from 1948 onward added homes, buildings, and objects to the story. We’ll look at what is known about the fire, what the tablets can tell us about ordinary people, and what remains uncertain about the city’s decline. If you enjoy lost cities and history recovered from real human records, this one’s for you. 0:00 The Ash-Covered Records of Kanesh 1:55 Defining the Karum Trading District 3:53 Family Ties in Commercial Life 5:30 Archaeology Meets Epigraphy 8:03 The Reality of Ancient Partnerships