intended for redistribution in the capital and other parts of the
homeland. Seeher’s excavations also uncovered a second storage
complex of the same period in the Lower City. Just behind the
postern wall, 32 semi-subterranean chambers divided into two
parallel rows were found. Many thousands of tonnes of grain,
mostly barley and some wheat (einkorn) were stored in these
facilities, for several years if necessary, in an oxygen- and vermin-
free environment. Grain silos have been found at other locations
in the Hittite homeland as well, and no doubt more will be
discovered. These storage facilities must have made an important
contribution to ensuring the adequacy of the Hittite homeland’s
food supplies not only for the current year, but also for a
significant period beyond, in anticipation of a season or successive
seasons of poor harvests, due to enemy action, drought, or other
devastating weather conditions.THEWARRIOR-GOD’SGATE
A number of gates provided access to the city through its walls.
Three in particular stand out. All are at the southern end of the
Upper City. They are the Sphinx Gate, which may have provided aFigure 21.11Büyükkaya granaries, Hattusa.
218 WARRIORS OF ANATOLIA