The ancient city of Gordion is an important archaeological site located in the Yassıhöyük neighborhood of the Polatlı district of Ankara in the Central Anatolia Region. The ancient city is known as the political, cultural, and economic center of the Phrygian civilization. Gordion, where the settlement was interrupted very little during a long period of approximately 4500 years, is one of the rare areas in the world where the settlement, which started in 2500 BC, continues today in Yassıhöyük, which is located adjacent to the ancient city. It is strategically located at the crossroads of the great empires of the East and West on the trade routes connecting the Aegean and Mediterranean to the Near East. Gordion was inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 2023, making it Türkiye's 20th World Heritage Site.

^{Ancient City of Gordion (Türkiye Culture Portal)}

Historical Development and Importance

The ancient city of Gordion is one of the important archaeological settlements of Anatolia as the political, cultural and economic center of the Phrygian civilization. It is located in a strategic location near the junction of the Sakarya and Porsuk rivers near the village of Yassıhöyük in the Polatlı district of Ankara. Archaeological findings show that Phrygians settled in the region in the late 12th century BC after the fall of the Hittite Empire. In the 9th century BC, the settlement turned into a large walled fortress and became a politically central area.

There are approximately 85 tumuli around the ancient city, containing the tombs of the Phrygian elite. These tumuli provide information about Phrygian funeral rituals, art, and social structure. The finds from Gordion are exhibited in the Gordion Museum. Gordion was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. The settlement, which began around 2500 BC and continues today at Yassıhöyük, makes Gordion one of the world's longest inhabited sites.

Architectural Structures and Urban Planning

The earliest Phrygian settlements in the ancient city of Gordion have a village character, consisting of small houses of light construction containing materials related to daily life. However, by the 9th century BC, the settlement had become a walled fortress with large buildings. A major fire around 800 BC interrupted life in the fortress. The fortress was rebuilt after the fire, and is located on a higher platform and retains the architectural heritage of the old structure.

The Phrygian castle walls and monumental structures, which show the multifaceted architectural expression of the royal power and the dominance of human resources, are among the important examples among the finds of that period. Various settlement layers belonging to the Hittites, Phrygians, Persians, and Romans were found in the ancient city. Gordion and its surroundings are covered with tumuli of various sizes dating back to the 9th century BC over a large area. These tumuli are the tombs of Phrygian nobles and prominent people. Among these tumuli, the Great Tumulus (Tumulus MM) is one of the largest tumuli found in Anatolia, with a diameter of 300 meters and a height of more than 50 meters.

The tumulus was excavated in 1957, and the wooden burial chamber beneath it has survived intact until today. The king's tomb contributes to the understanding of Phrygian language and art thanks to its wooden architecture, rich grave objects, and wax bands with Phrygian inscriptions. Radiocarbon analysis suggests that this tomb may have belonged to Gordios around 740 BC. The largest of the masonry tombs in the ancient city of Gordion is the Tomb of Midas, which is thought to belong to King Midas. With a diameter of 300 meters and a height of 55 meters, it is the second largest masonry tomb in Anatolia.

Research and Excavations

The first archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Gordion were initiated in the early 1900s by the brothers Gustav and Alfred Körte. This was followed by systematic excavations led by Rodney Young under the supervision of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology between 1950 and 1973. The excavations revealed that the earliest Phrygian settlements had a village character, consisting of small, lightly constructed houses with everyday materials.

Material culture elements such as mosaic floors, fine weavings, ivory inlaid furniture, and metalwork indicate the level of arts and crafts of this period, while imported luxury goods show that the Phrygians were involved in foreign trade networks.