Shipping activities in Anatolia in the 2nd the 1st millennium BC

Anatolia has hosted the birth and development of many civilizations throughout history. As it is today, it is a bridge in both land and sea trade in ancient times. In these lands, which are very rich, relations were first established between nearby cities. With the increasing and developing economy in Anatolian lands, trade accelerated. Over time, the centers grew and it became impossible to feed the population with locally grown grain. In line with these needs, the development of trade gained momentum. One of the most important factors affecting this development was maritime and shipping activities. As a result of the events that followed each other, shipping activities also moved to an international dimension. The development of maritime and trade paved the way for the maturation of shipbuilding technology. Born in its most primitive form in the Ancient Age, shipping continued its development in civilizations such as Egypt, Hittite, Greek, Lydia. Geographical factors and needs have had a significant impact on shipbuilding technology. Evaluating the changes and developments is the main subject of our thesis. How the civilizations that established dominance in Anatolia throughout the Ancient History reached the materials they needed has been tried to be illuminated with the information obtained. In addition to trade, issues such as how and why they transformed into military ships have been emphasized. The relationship between military ships and the defense and expansion policies of states is examined. With its political dimension, it has been tried to examine what changes and consequences it has brought about for civilizations. The history of shipping has been tried to be proved by examining cuneiform texts, archaeological findings, inscriptions and modern scientific works.