One of Türkiye’s most famous ancient burial mounds, long popularly known as the Midas Tumulus, is believed to have been constructed for Gordias, father of the legendary Phrygian King Midas, according to experts at the ancient city of Gordion.
The monumental tomb, located at Gordion in Ankara’s Polatlı district, contains an exceptionally well-preserved wooden burial chamber dating back nearly 3,200 years. Archaeologists say the structure provides remarkable evidence of Phrygian funerary practices, woodworking and metal craftsmanship.
Despite its familiar name, the Midas Tumulus is not thought to contain King Midas himself. Instead, evidence points to the burial being that of his father, Gordias, with the monument possibly commissioned by Midas following his father’s death.
Kadim Koç, chairman of the Gordion Foundation, said the association with Midas has endured largely because of the king’s enduring fame.
“When the tumulus was excavated in 1957 and the burial chamber was reached, the Ulus newspaper reported that the tomb of Gordias, the father of Midas, had been found and that Gordias’ skeleton had been discovered,” Koç said.
“However, Midas is such a famous figure of antiquity that his father could never take precedence over his son.”
Koç said that even though visitors are told that the monument was probably constructed by Midas for his father, it continues to be widely known as the Midas Tumulus.
A Monumental Phrygian Tomb
Rising approximately 53 metres above the surrounding landscape and measuring about 300 metres in diameter, the burial mound dominates the archaeological landscape around Gordion.
Inside is a wooden burial chamber measuring approximately 6.15 metres by 5.15 metres.
Its construction is particularly remarkable because substantial sections of the juniper timber used to build the chamber have survived for almost 3,200 years.
“We can still see that the juniper trees have not decayed and have survived to the present day,” Koç said.
The age of the timbers has also helped archaeologists establish the chronology of the monument and investigate the construction techniques used by the Phrygians.
The tomb was excavated in 1957 in a joint archaeological effort involving Turkish and American researchers. To reach the chamber, workers dug an approximately 82-metre tunnel through the enormous burial mound, with miners from the Black Sea province of Zonguldak brought in to assist.
According to Koç, drilling methods available at the time caused some damage to parts of the structure and surviving textile remains.
Nevertheless, the excavation revealed one of the most extraordinary examples of Phrygian funerary architecture yet discovered.
99 Ancient Brooches Found Inside
The burial chamber contained a rich collection of objects that offered archaeologists important evidence of Phrygian craftsmanship.
Among the discoveries were 99 fibulas — ancient brooches used for fastening clothing — demonstrating the sophistication of metalworking at Gordion.
Koç described the ancient capital as an important centre for fibula production and said the objects were among the most significant finds recovered from the tomb.
The discoveries also demonstrated the Phrygians’ abilities in woodworking and textile production.
“The finds showed that the Phrygians were among the world’s finest woodcarvers,” Koç said, adding that they were also highly accomplished in carpet and textile weaving.
Some objects recovered from the tumulus are now held at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, while others are displayed at the Gordion Museum.
Landscape of Ancient Burial Mounds
The so-called Midas Tumulus is only one of scores of monumental burial mounds surrounding the ancient Phrygian capital.
According to Koç, 130 tumuli have been officially registered across the wider Polatlı area, with nearly 90 concentrated around Gordion.
The scale and density of the burial mounds reflect the political and ceremonial importance of the ancient city, which flourished as the capital of the Phrygian civilisation.
Gordion is closely associated with several figures who became legendary in the ancient world, particularly King Midas, remembered in Greek mythology for the story of the “golden touch”, and Gordias, whose name became linked with the famous Gordian Knot.
Beyond those legends, archaeological discoveries at the site have provided extensive physical evidence of Phrygian society, from monumental architecture and elite burials to sophisticated metalwork, textiles and wooden furniture.
The ancient city gained international recognition in 2023 when it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Nearly seven decades after archaeologists first entered its enormous wooden burial chamber, the monument popularly associated with Midas continues to offer insights into the Phrygian royal dynasty — and into the king who appears to have constructed an extraordinary tomb not for himself, but for his father.
Sources : Hurriyet Daily News
