Anatolian

Anatolian refers to anything pertaining to Anatolia, the large peninsula that forms the Asian part of modern Turkey. The term is widely used in geography, history, archaeology, linguistics, and to denote residents of the region. In linguistics, Anatolian is also the name of a branch of the Indo-European language family, whose best known member is Hittite.

Geographically, Anatolia is bounded by the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean and Mediterranean seas to the west and south, and the interior mountains and plateaus to the east. The name Anatolia derives from the Greek Anatolē, meaning the east or rising sun, reflecting its location relative to Greece.

Linguistically, Anatolian is a branch of the Indo-European language family that is now extinct. It includes Hittite, Luwian, Lycian, Lydian, Phrygian, and Carian among others. Hittite is the best documented and oldest known Indo-European language, primarily attested in cuneiform tablets from the Hittite capital Hattusa (modern Boğazkale).

Historically, Anatolia was the home of the Hittite Empire in the Bronze Age; later it was ruled by Phrygians, Lydians, and other Anatolian states, before coming under Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman control. The region has remained a central corridor between continents and cultures, influencing the history of both Asia and Europe.

In contemporary usage, Anatolian functions as a demonym for inhabitants of Anatolia, and the term appears in academic contexts to distinguish the Anatolian languages from other branches of Indo-European. It also appears in modern culture, ecology, and breed names, such as the Anatolian Shepherd Dog.