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The kingdom of Urartu, originally a confederation
of numerous tribes from Eastern Anatolia, was
one of the most powerful states in the Ancient
Near East during the first half of the first
millennium BC, constituting one of the fearest
rivals of the Assyrian Empire. It was in the 9th
century BC under Shalmaneser III (858-824) that
the Urartian state developed a centralised system
with several interconnected palace-fortresses
placed on high rock outcrops.
Yet our knowledge of Urartian culture and history
is mostly based on epigraphic evidence found
especially in the area of Lake Van and in the
Assyrian chronicles. From these sources, we
know that during the 8th century BC Urartu
expanded from Northern Turkey and Armenia,
into Azerbaijan, Kurdistan and the Euphrates
region, eventually coming into friction with the
Assyrians and the Persians. Most of their military
campaigns were indeed aimed at acquiring silver,
copper and iron ores for their intensive metal-
smithing industry.
- (FJ.0895)
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