Can you read this now?

You think your spouse’s writing is hard to read?  How about this writing?  And just try writing on stone!  Of course, if you were Assyrian, interpretation might not be written in stone. Phyrgian language is linguistically similar to Greek.  The inscriptions are usually very short and mostly personal names.  Gordion is a rich site of early Phyrgian writing: 11 inscriptions on stone and 245 graffiti, mostly on vases.

As you can see, brewers were doing well early in history!

The long, wide silver object on top is a belt. It must have taken a large man to wear it! Although Midas is associated with gold, very little gold has been found in Gordion.  However, when analysis of the clothing of Gordion elite was done, it was found that some of the fabrics are coated with geothite, which produces a golden sheen. Additionally, some of the bronze pieces have a high zinc content, giving them a color closer in appearance to gold.  Finally, there are gold deposits near the Pactolus River in Sardis, where Midas supposedly washed of the curse of the golden touch.  Likely the story of the golden touch was meant to illustrate the wealth of Phrygia.

Here’s a bit more information about the Midas Mound and other burial mounds of Gordionn. These tumuli are similar in many ways to the Egyptian pyramids.

Stop by Friday for the last Midas post.