Archaeology of Midas and the Phrygians

Gordion, located in central Anatolia, was discovered in 1893 and has been the subject of investigations and research since then, but most notably since 1950 under the auspices of the Pennsylvania University Museum. Whilst reports of work carried out at Gordion can be found in the University of Pennsylvania Museum Monograph series, this book provides a discursive summary of research being carried out at this key site identified as the old Phrygian capital. The essays are divided into sections on the history of excavations and dating, interpretations of finds, Gordion and its regional context with particular reference to the results of regional survey and ethnographic studies, and conservation work. More specifically, the essays provide important insights into the local and regional context of Gordion and the extent of its connections and influence. Papers on textile production, glass vessels, pottery, human remains, geography, settlement and landuse, to name but a few, bring fresh insights into the consolidation of the Phyrgian state, interaction with the Hittite Empire, local and regional trade and exchange systems, economic and political structures, from the Early Bronze Age to the early first millennium AD.