Bull depictions and their cult relations in prehistoric Anatolia

Bull depictions, the earliest example of which began to be seen in the Epi-Paleolithic Period in Anatolia, were produced from various materials in different versions, maintaining their continuity trough time. Its original symbol is associated with power, strength and reproduction. The bull culture, which symbolizes masculinity from the Paleolithic Period to the Bronze Age, assumed a divine perception in the Hittite tradition with the Bronze Age and was accepted as the representative of the chief God Tesup on earth. The cult of the bull, which has never lost its importance on Anatolian lands, was used not only in prehistoric times, but also in historical periods. Even today, the skulls of the bull, which has never lost its sanctity by sacrificing, are used as a symbol of fertility.