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Image Credit: Hüseyin Erpehlivan
Monumental Phrygian Tomb in Turkey May Be Linked to the Era of King Midas
Archaeologists in Turkey have identified a monumental burial mound that may be connected to the royal milieu of the Phrygian Kingdom during the reign of King Midas. The tomb dates to the late 8th century BC and provides new insights into political organization in ancient Phrygia.
The burial is located at the Karaağaç Tumulus near Bozüyük, more than 160 kilometers west of Gordion, the Phrygian capital. Its distance from the capital suggests that political power in Phrygia may have been distributed across the kingdom, rather than strictly centralized at Gordion.
The tumulus rises about 8 meters above a natural hillock and dominates the surrounding plain. First identified after looting damage was detected in satellite imagery, the site has been the subject of systematic archaeological investigation for more than a decade.
Analysis of the tomb’s wooden burial chamber and its grave goods indicates a level of wealth and craftsmanship comparable to elite burials at Gordion. The assemblage includes numerous ceramic vessels—one bearing a Phrygian inscription—and several bronze situlae, elaborately decorated containers rarely found outside royal contexts. Such items are otherwise known primarily from the large burial mound traditionally associated with the family of King Midas.
While the richness of the burial suggests a person closely connected to Phrygian power structures, researchers caution that the tomb does not necessarily belong to a ruling monarch. An alternative interpretation proposes that the grave goods may reflect elite gift exchange, possibly linked to a high-ranking regional authority with royal connections.
Human remains discovered within the mound appear to derive from multiple burial phases, including periods before and after the Phrygian tomb was constructed, indicating that the site retained ritual significance for centuries.
Published on: 11-01-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: Live Science