Accounting and finance applications in Anatolia during the Assyrian Trade Colonies Period (1974-1719 BC)

Accounting is a science that records, classifies, reports and concludes financial transactions. Thus, users of information such as owners, partners and employees of enterprise, and government have information about the economic status of the enterprise. Although it is not known exactly when and where the first accounting applications started, it is estimated that settle account have been carried out since the day when humanity existed. The first accounting applications can be learned with the beginning of the written date. Some of the documents used in the writing of accounting history are based on information obtained from archaeological excavations. In order to investigate the contribution of Anatolia to accounting history, it is necessary to examine the date range of 1974-1719 BC, which is the period of Assyrian trade colonies in which written history began in Anatolia. The aim of this study is to reveal, in the light of the first written documents of Anatolia, whether the commercial records in the Assyrian Trade Colonies period are the first examples of the current accounting and finance practices, and the similarities and differences between the two. As research method,the secondary sources (Document Data Review) which were obtained as a result of the translation of the primary sources obtained from the archaeological excavations were examined. As a result of this study, it is seen that many applications such as accounting document system, debt and creditor relation, partnership structures, cost profit documents, tax applications, year-end reporting procedures and financial applications were used during period of Assyrian Trade Colonies in Anatolia.