An Approach on Tarhana and its Similarity to Hittite word GAtarašganna

The soup termed terhâne, tarhana, trachanás or tarhonya, which is prepared by mixing flour, milk/yoghurt, and various spices and fermenting them together, is a well-known food in Middle East. Tarhana is a food that can be crushed into a powder form and carried in this way, and it can be cooked anywhere by mixing it with some hot water. The naming criteria of this food, which is considered to have Persian origins, remain unclear. The literature focuses on terhâne in Persian and tractain Latin. In addition to naming, discussions regarding the period in which the food first appeared are ongoing. The twelfth century, which is the date suggested by the sources is quite late for this food that can be prepared with simple ingredients. This study argues that the food was named based on dairy products, which are included in its ingredients, and that it still has the names derived from the same root. Among the words considered from this point of view, the word GAtarašganna, found in Hittite cuneiform tablets, which is understood to be about milk and dairy products, may have served as a basis for the names given above.