Anatolian Civilizations and Historical Sites - TEDA

ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS:10x19 antik kentler 8/1/11 10:51 AM Sayfa
Gordion
The capital of the Phyrgian state, Gordion is situated 29 km. from Polatl›
and 94 km. from Ankara. The Phrygians migrated to Anatolia over the
Balkans after the collapse of the Hittite Kingdom. They settled in Central
Anatolia and made Gordion their capital. Arriving in Anatolia in the
mid-9 th century BC, they became a political entity about two hundred
years later. There is not much information available about this
civilization dating back before 750 BC. The legendary Phrygian King
Midas lived between 725-695 BC, whereas his kingdom ruled over
Central and Southeastern Anatolia during this period.
The capital, Gordion was named after Midas’ father Gordios, who
established the Phrygian State in ca. 750 BC. The Phrygians were
decimated by the Cimmerian hordes. In fact, it is said that King Midas
committed suicide in 695 BC by drinking bull’s blood after suffering
defeat by the Cimmerians. Though the Phyrgian State collapsed in 695
BC, its art forms remained prevelant until about 300 BC. The Phrygians
were first subject to the rule of the Lydians and flourished under their
sovereignity. After the Persian conquest of 546 BC, they achieved power
in the region between Afyon-Eskiflehir. After crossing into Anatolia,
Alexander the Great spent the winter in Gordion in 333 BC. It was here
that he supposedly sliced through King Gordion’s knot with one blow of
his sword. The Galatians settled in this region after Alexander and named
it Galatia. Gordion lost its importance during the Roman Period.
As an abundance of Phrygian artefacts were uncovered at Gordion, we
feel the need to provide some information concerning Phyrgian art. The
Phrygians who were very skilled with metals and held great influence on
the West, produced items such as pulley- handled bronze kettles, bowls,
pins with gold, silver and bronze hooks, belts to hold up garments, hair
pins, and richly ornated textile products, as well as furniture decorated
with geometric designs. In addition, the Phyrgian’s painted ceramic pieces
were also extremely elegant. It is possible to examine Phrygian art into
three periods, Early Style (750-730 BC), Transition Style (730-725 BC)
and the Mature Style (725-650 BC). After these come the Subgeometric
(650-575 BC) and the Late Phyrgian (575-300 BC). We recognize the Kybele
statue, which was found in Bo¤azköy as well as the stone
King Midas’s Tumulus The largest tumulus in Gordion is the one which is
said to belong to King Midas, and is 53 m. high and 300 m. in diameter.
Recent carbon 14 studies made it clear that it was established around 740 BC.
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