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Fatih Sinan Esen

The Inandik Vase and the Odyssey

“Inandik Vase” is one of the major founds that clarify the history of the settlement and experiences (lives) of people in Inandik town. This vase was found by chance and the place, which it was found, became a working place for archaeologists. There are some pictures on the vase that shows a religious ceremony, probably a religious wedding ceremony and its preparation process. The pots, which have an embossed outer layer, were common at the very end of the First Bronze Age and at the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age. Inandik Vase (with its temple and other ruins) was leftover from the ages of old Hittite Kingdom that I.Hattushili and I.Murshil lived. The vase, being talked, is in Anatolian Civilizations Museum, now.

The outer layer of the vase gives us a detailed account of the wedding ceremony and the hospitality in aristocratic families. The major scene on the Inandik Vase (Bitik Vase with other words) is the oldest example of a religious wedding ceremony. Some says that this ceremony is about the marriage of the major male god and major Hatti-Hurri goddess. The bridegroom opens the bride’s veil and offers her a cup of wine. The ceremony on the vase is, probably, belongs to an aristocratic family (may be a prince and princess), just like it is in Odyssey of Homer. The events that explained on the vase are pretty much alike the events in Odyssey, with some similar ways like hospitality and the picture of aristocratic families. The ceremonies and amusements of the aristocratic households are just like it is shown on Inandik Vase. Drinking vine and playing instruments, usually lyres.

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The Odyssey is just like a Greek guide to hospitality, or "xenia", which was a dominant concept that Zeus was the god of hospitality in Greece. Odysseus and Telemachos receive serious hospitality throughout their journeys. For an instance, Odysseus, after leaving from the island of the Cyclops, comes to the floating island, where Aeolus lived in his palace, and received by him, staying for a month long. During this time, Odysseus tells the story of his own with mentioning the Trojan War. This interested the king, who lives apart from the world and important events. He organizes ceremonies in the name of Odysseus. The ceremonies described just like it is on the Inandik Vase. The recurring theme of hospitality in Odyssey is important in several ways. One is to show that the Ancient Greeks values a social society in which each person is obligated to help others when in need. Thereby, it suggests that people should treat everyone, equally. In Book III, when Telemachos and Athene arrived Pylos, Nestor and his son had offered a charming hospitality to two strangers. The king never asked where they came from or why they were at Pylos until Athene and Telemachos were satisfied with the well-served food and tasty wine. Also in Book VI when Nausikka found Odysseus on the shore of Scheria, despite the fact that Odysseus appeared dirty and unpleasant, Nausikaa felt that she should help him, so she fed Odysseus with good food and sweet wine. Secondly, the events about hospitality in the Odyssey were used as a good tool in order to tell the reader who are the kind people and who are the enemy people and mischief maker. The good characters took their guests into their home and fed them without expacting anything, whereas none of the hostile people (the suitors) ever behaved like this to their guests. On Inandik Vase’s (II.frieze-pictures 24-27) a figure is shown who brings a male figure to the wedding ceremony, by holding his hand. This is a good gesture of hospitality in Hittite society. After that, offering wine to him and gods is another gesture. So Inandik vase helps us while considering the hospitality and aristocratic ceremonies of Hittite society. Finally, ‘hospitality’ seems to play a major role in the Odysseus, just like it plays a major role

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on the Inandik Vase. It is used as a mechanism to show how wealthy and powerful people are. Social status appears to be determined by how well a person can accommodate his/her guests. The richest and the most prestigious people give the best food and best wine, even served in the most expensive bowls and cups, and offer the most expensive gifts to their guests. This is the important relation between hospitality and aristocracy (wealth), which makes the two concepts inseperable. Besides, giving good hospitality was the best way that the Ancient Greeks and Hittites, commonly, could please the Gods. That is how the mortals and immortals (especially gods) remain in good relationships.

Finally, it can be said that, the pictures on the Inandik Vase shows Hittite society. It shows Greek hospitality and aristocracy as well, with an indirect way. That’s how ancient civilizations resemble each other in many ways.