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Indianapolis Star
13-06-2025
- Science
- Indianapolis Star
Archeologists discover 2,500-year-old Midas dynasty tomb in Turkey
A 2,500-year-old royal tomb has been discovered by archeologists at the site of an ancient city in Turkey. After four months of excavations, Penn Museum and Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University archeologists discovered a well-preserved royal tomb chamber that dates back to 8th century BCE (800 to 701 BCE). The tomb's roof was collapsed, but objects inside remained intact, including bronze vessels used during banquets, iron rods, a pair of large bronze cauldrons and assorted smaller bronze cauldrons, jugs and bowls, according to a news release. The tomb was discovered at the archeological site of Gordion, the capital of the Phrygian kingdom, which controlled much of Asia Minor during the first millennium BCE, Gordion Excavation Director C. Brian Rose said in a news release. Gordion is located in northwest Turkey, about 60 miles southwest of Turkey's capital Ankara. At one time, Gordion was ruled by King Midas, famously known for his "golden touch." Archeologists believe that the newly-discovered tomb may have belonged to a member of the Midas dynasty. Iron Age archaeological find: British 'bling' from 2,000 years ago included horse harnesses Archeologists used magnetic prospection technology to find the tomb, a news release states. This geophysical method uses variations in Earth's magnetic field to identify objects below the surface, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To archeologists' surprise, the tomb indicated a cremated burial. Up until this latest excavation, researchers believed the first cremation to occur in Gordion was more than 100 years later. Vessels inside the tomb also featured textiles adhered to their exterior, which indicate that textiles were an important industry in Gordion, Rose said in a news release. 3,000-year-old Mayan city unearthed: Why it's named 'The Grandparents' The tomb was located near and appeared like the Midas Mound tomb, which is believed to have housed the body of King Midas' father. The Gordion site has proved fruitful for archeologists for 75 years, since Penn Museum began leading excavations there in 1950. Previous excavations included the oldest wooden building in the world, dating back to 740 BCE. Others include the earliest colored stone mosaics found in Gordion, the best-preserved citadel gate of the first millennium and a gilded ivory sphinx of the 6th century BCE, according to a news release.
The Herald Scotland
13-06-2025
- Science
- The Herald Scotland
2,500-year-old royal tomb from Midas dynasty discovered in Turkey
The tomb was discovered at the archeological site of Gordion, the capital of the Phrygian kingdom, which controlled much of Asia Minor during the first millennium BCE, Gordion Excavation Director C. Brian Rose said in a news release. Gordion is located in northwest Turkey, about 60 miles southwest of Turkey's capital Ankara. At one time, Gordion was ruled by King Midas, famously known for his "golden touch." Archeologists believe that the newly-discovered tomb may have belonged to a member of the Midas dynasty. Iron Age archaeological find: British 'bling' from 2,000 years ago included horse harnesses Archeologists used magnetic prospection technology to find the tomb, a news release states. This geophysical method uses variations in Earth's magnetic field to identify objects below the surface, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To archeologists' surprise, the tomb indicated a cremated burial. Up until this latest excavation, researchers believed the first cremation to occur in Gordion was more than 100 years later. Vessels inside the tomb also featured textiles adhered to their exterior, which indicate that textiles were an important industry in Gordion, Rose said in a news release. 3,000-year-old Mayan city unearthed: Why it's named 'The Grandparents' The tomb was located near and appeared like the Midas Mound tomb, which is believed to have housed the body of King Midas' father. The Gordion site has proved fruitful for archeologists for 75 years, since Penn Museum began leading excavations there in 1950. Previous excavations included the oldest wooden building in the world, dating back to 740 BCE. Others include the earliest colored stone mosaics found in Gordion, the best-preserved citadel gate of the first millennium and a gilded ivory sphinx of the 6th century BCE, according to a news release. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Archeologists discover 2,500-year-old Midas dynasty tomb in Turkey
Archeologists discover 2,500-year-old Midas dynasty tomb in Turkey Show Caption Hide Caption Archeologists uncover skeletons in 'Indiana Jones' filming location 'Expedition Unknown' host Josh Gates joined the excavation of a tomb beneath Petra that is estimated to be at least 2,000 years old. A 2,500-year-old royal tomb has been discovered by archeologists at the site of an ancient city in Turkey. After four months of excavations, Penn Museum and Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University archeologists discovered a well-preserved royal tomb chamber that dates back to 8th century BCE (800 to 701 BCE). The tomb's roof was collapsed, but objects inside remained intact, including bronze vessels used during banquets, iron rods, a pair of large bronze cauldrons and assorted smaller bronze cauldrons, jugs and bowls, according to a news release. The tomb was discovered at the archeological site of Gordion, the capital of the Phrygian kingdom, which controlled much of Asia Minor during the first millennium BCE, Gordion Excavation Director C. Brian Rose said in a news release. Gordion is located in northwest Turkey, about 60 miles southwest of Turkey's capital Ankara. At one time, Gordion was ruled by King Midas, famously known for his "golden touch." Archeologists believe that the newly-discovered tomb may have belonged to a member of the Midas dynasty. Iron Age archaeological find: British 'bling' from 2,000 years ago included horse harnesses Archeologists used magnetic prospection technology to find the tomb, a news release states. This geophysical method uses variations in Earth's magnetic field to identify objects below the surface, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To archeologists' surprise, the tomb indicated a cremated burial. Up until this latest excavation, researchers believed the first cremation to occur in Gordion was more than 100 years later. Vessels inside the tomb also featured textiles adhered to their exterior, which indicate that textiles were an important industry in Gordion, Rose said in a news release. 3,000-year-old Mayan city unearthed: Why it's named 'The Grandparents' The tomb was located near and appeared like the Midas Mound tomb, which is believed to have housed the body of King Midas' father. The Gordion site has proved fruitful for archeologists for 75 years, since Penn Museum began leading excavations there in 1950. Previous excavations included the oldest wooden building in the world, dating back to 740 BCE. Others include the earliest colored stone mosaics found in Gordion, the best-preserved citadel gate of the first millennium and a gilded ivory sphinx of the 6th century BCE, according to a news release. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archeologists uncover royal tomb tied to the real King Midas
King Midas is the stuff of legend. Ancient Greek tales tell of a Phrygian ruler granted the power to turn everything he touched into gold. No monarch ever actually possessed a divine touch (or donkey ears), but historical records indicate at least two men with the name Midas oversaw the Phrygian kingdom during the first millennium BCE. In 1957, archeologists discovered a royal tomb (also known as a tumulus) at the site of Gordion, Phrygia's ancient capital located about 60 miles southwest of Ankara, Turkey. Analysis later showed the grave dated to around 740 BCE and held the remains of a man believed to be the father of the first King Midas. Years of subsequent excavations at Gordion have yielded remarkable finds, including the oldest known standing wooden building, the earliest colored stone mosaics, and even a gilded ivory sphinx royal statue. According to Penn Museum researchers in collaboration with the Turkish government, archeologists have found yet another stunningly preserved royal tomb chamber dating to around 750 BCE. And like the one uncovered nearly 70 years ago, this tumulus may have ties to Midas himself—and could revise our understanding of the kingdom's ancient burial practices. In 2024, researchers, including archeologist Yücel Şenyurt from Ankara's Haci Bayram Veli University, located the latest of the 130 mounds surrounding the Gordion citadel by using remote sensing magnetic prospection equipment. The team then spent four months excavating a massive 21-foot-tall by 196-foot-wide wooden burial chamber. Designated Tumulus T-26, the space remained impressively well-preserved for thousands of years despite a collapsed roof, and shows no signs of grave robbing. Objects inside the tumulus included a number of relics associated with royal banquets such as bronze cauldrons, jugs, and bowls, as well as additional iron tools. These items were frequently used to serve food and wine during funeral feasts, with many of the vessels still possessing traces of adhering textiles—an artisanal flourish associated with luxury crafting. Arguably the most striking discovery at T-26 was its interred remains. Instead of skeletal fragments, archeologists found evidence of cremation—a process believed to have popularized at Gordion over a 100 years later. 'The excavation of these tumuli has yielded a wealth of information about the lives of Gordion's rulers and their associates,' C. Brian Rose, Gordion Excavation Director and Curator-in-Charge of the Penn Museum's Mediterranean Section, said in a statement. '… [W]e now know that cremation among the elite was practiced over a century earlier than we thought it was. Moreover, the traces of textiles on the vessels provide evidence for one of Gordion's most important industries.' It's still unclear if Tumulus T-26 belonged to King Midas himself. But even without a solid gold tomb, its dating and proximity at the very least strongly suggests a direct link to his dynasty.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
2,800-year-old royal tomb discovered near King Midas' home in Turkey
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Archaeologists have discovered an eighth-century-B.C. royal tomb of a relative of King Midas in the ancient city of Gordion, southwest of Ankara, Turkey. The burial mound contained dozens of rare artifacts and cremated human bones from an elite individual from the ancient kingdom of Phrygia. "Based on these artifacts, we estimate that the person in the tomb chamber may be a member of the royal family associated with Gordion and Midas," Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the Turkish minister of culture and tourism, said at a news conference Tuesday (June 3), the Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu Ajansı reported in Turkish. Gordion was the capital of the Phrygian kingdom, which lasted from 1200 to 675 B.C. In the eighth century B.C., the kingdom was ruled first by Gordias, who was associated with the Gordian knot that Alexander the Great eventually cut, and then by his son Midas, who is famous for the story of turning everything he touched to gold. But Gordion, like ancient Troy, was occupied many times over the centuries, leaving archaeologists with a tangled web of fortification walls, tombs and houses to dig through. The largest tomb found at Gordion is called the "Midas Mound." One of more than 120 mounds, it was built around 740 B.C. and included the burial of a high-status person — possibly Midas' father, Gordias — in a log coffin on top of a purple textiles and surrounded by bronze treasures. The newly announced tomb is the 47th such mound excavated at Gordion. The mound is about 26 feet (8 meters) tall and 200 feet (60 m) in diameter, archaeologist Yücel Şenyurt, co-director of the Gordion excavation, told Anadolu Ajansı in Turkish, and it includes the oldest cremation to date at the site. "This shows the burial customs of the Phrygians," Şenyurt said, and "clearly shows us that the person buried here was not an ordinary person." Related: Ancient inscription reveals lost civilization in Turkey that may have defeated King Midas At the news conference, Ersoy said that the mound included a wooden burial chamber that measured 10.2 by 9.2 feet (3.1 by 2.8 m), along with dozens of bronze artifacts, including cauldrons and jugs, some of which were still hanging from iron nails on the walls of the burial chamber, Anadolu Ajansı reported. "These artifacts that we have unearthed are the most concentrated group after the findings in the previously excavated Midas Mound," Ersoy said. RELATED STORIES —2,600-year-old inscription in Turkey finally deciphered — and it mentions goddess known 'simply as the Mother' —Grand tomb of Roman gladiator found in Turkey actually contains the remains of 12 other people —3,500-year-old tablet in Turkey turns out to be a shopping list "It's possible that it belonged to someone in Midas's family because his tumulus is nearby," C. Brian Rose, Gordion excavation co-director and an archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania, said at the news conference, as reported by Anadolu Ajansı. "What's really interesting is that it's a cremation burial," Rose said, because "this is the only example from the 8th century" at the site. The newly discovered artifacts are now at the Gordion Museum, where they will be conserved and restored before being placed on display. Excavations at Gordion have been ongoing for 75 years, but archaeologists are nowhere near finished with their investigation of the numerous tombs and settlement structures. "The area that has not yet been excavated is much larger than the area that has been excavated," Şenyurt said.
