"Hartapu: The Forgotten King of Anatolia" Exhibition in Chicago

The University of Chicago's ISAC Museum presents "Hartapu: The Forgotten King of Anatolia." In 2019, an inscribed stone pulled from an irrigation canal on the Konya Plain in central Türkiye introduced the world to King Hartapu, who claimed to have conquered Phrygia. The stone was found at Türkmen-Karahöyük, a massive tell rising 35 meters above the plain that must have been Hartapu's capital.

Excavations at the site were launched in 2024 by ISAC and Bilkent University (Ankara). The exhibition tells the story of the 8th-century BCE ruler, whose kingdom sat between Phrygia and the Neo-Assyrian Empire, through inscriptions, archaeological finds, 3D printing and advanced imaging, alongside contemporary works by artist SaraNoa Mark.

• Dates: September 17, 2026 – March 14, 2027
• Venue: ISAC Museum, 1155 East 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
• Curator: James Osborne