To the Hittites the natural world, springs included, was a place of great religious importance, one worthy of monuments with giant lions.

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Cappadocia has one of the world's oldest wine industries, which stretches back some 4, 000 years to the Hittites, the first to recognise the volcanic soil's viticultural qualities, and to carve rock cellars.

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BC, on the upper reaches of the Euphrates basin, Anatolian peoples such as the Hurrites and the Hittites met, fought, conquered or were conquered by local tribes and outposts of the Mesopotamian empires, leaving behind hordes of artefacts that are still being found today.

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Strategically positioned on historic trade routes linking East and West, this ancient city has conserved an astounding monumental heritage reflecting the diverse cultures of the peoples that have settled here over millennia including the Hittites, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Umayyads, Ayyubids, Mongols, Mamelukes and Ottomans.

UNESCO: The Director-General of UNESCO appeals for the Protection of the World Heritage City of Aleppo | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization