Landscape meadow in the region of Afyonkarahisar (© Luwian Studies #0238)
The heartland of Luwian civilization extended across western and southern Anatolia, a region characterized by its ecological diversity and strategic location between the major cultural regions of the Bronze Age.
The Luwians played at least as important a role as the Hittites in the history of the Ancient Near East.
Herodotus, writing in the fifth century BCE, praised western Anatolia as having the best climate in the world, a testament to the region’s agricultural productivity and high quality of life. With mild winters and warm, dry summers, the climate was ideal for growing grain, olives, and grapes – staples of the Mediterranean diet and valuable commodities in ancient trade. These favorable conditions provided the basis for stable food production, economic prosperity, and the development of complex societies long before the Hittites or Mycenaeans expanded their spheres of influence in the region.
Western Anatolia’s natural resources provided the basis for economic prosperity and cultural development. The highlands were rich in copper, silver, and gold, which were essential for the manufacture of tools, weapons, and luxury goods. Archaeological evidence shows that mining and metalworking centers were deliberately built near these resources, especially in the Troad, Lydia, and the interior highlands. In addition, the dense forests provided valuable timber for shipbuilding, construction, and trade, while the perennial rivers Meander and Hermos were a reliable source of water for agriculture and settlement. This combination of resources not only allowed for a thriving local economy, but also fostered trans-regional trade with the Aegean, Cyprus, and the Levant.
