Gordion
Capital of ancient Phrygia, preserved by a fire around 800 BCE.
Gordion was the capital city of ancient Phrygia, located at the site of modern Yassıhüyük in Turkey. It served as the political and cultural center of the Phrygian kingdom, controlling fertile land at the confluence of the Sakarya and Porsuk rivers. The site is the type site of Phrygian civilization and is known for its well-preserved destruction level from around 800 BCE, which provides a chronological linchpin for the region. In 2023, Gordion was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- location
- Modern Yassıhüyük, near Polatlı, southwest of Ankara, Turkey
- period_of_occupation
- Early Bronze Age (c. 2300 BCE) to 4th century CE, and again in 13th–14th centuries CE
- area
- Citadel Mound approximately 13.5 hectares; at height, habitation extended to about 100 hectares
- known_for
- Capital of ancient Phrygia; Early Phrygian Destruction Level (c. 800 BCE); tumulus burials; King Midas
- UNESCO_status
- Listed as World Heritage Site in 2023
Lore & Background
Gordion was inhabited from at least the Early Bronze Age, around 2300 BCE, and came under Hittite influence during the Middle Bronze Age. In the Late Bronze Age, it was part of the Hittite Empire. A cultural change in the Early Iron Age, with distinct differences in architecture and ceramics, points to an influx of Balkan migrants, possibly the Brygians. The Early Phrygian period saw monumental construction on the citadel during the 10th and 9th centuries, including a circuit wall, an extensive gate complex, and elite buildings such as megarons and the Terrace Building Complex. Around 850 BCE, Tumulus W was constructed, though it is not the first known tumulus burial in Anatolia—earlier examples date to the 3rd millennium BCE at sites like Alaca Höyük.
Reader's Guide
The Early Phrygian Destruction Level, dated to around 800 BCE, preserved many buildings and objects under up to five meters of clay, providing unique insight into an Iron Age citadel. This level was initially interpreted as the result of a Cimmerian attack around 700 BCE, but later radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology revised the date to about 800 BCE, suggesting the fire was accidental. The destruction marks the transition to the Middle Phrygian period, during which Gordion grew to its largest size, encompassing about 100 hectares. The most famous Phrygian king, Midas, reigned during this period, likely on the throne by around 740 BCE. Gordion's significance lies in its role as the capital of a kingdom that controlled much of Asia Minor west of the river Halys, and its well-dated archaeological record serves as a key reference for Central Anatolian chronology.
Did You Know?
- Gordion's name comes from the Phrygian word 'Gordum,' meaning 'city,' ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰórdʰ-os.
- The Early Phrygian Destruction Level preserved pebble mosaic floors with elaborate geometric designs, among the earliest known examples.
- Tumulus W, constructed around 850 BCE, is a notable early tumulus burial, but the earliest known examples in Anatolia date to the 3rd millennium BCE (e.g., at Alaca Höyük).
- The date of the Destruction Level was revised from c. 700 BCE to c. 800 BCE based on radiocarbon dating of barley, lentil, and flax seeds.
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