Yazilikaya - Midas Monument

Yazilikaya - Midas Monument

Yazılıkaya, a village in Eskişehir Province, Turkey, is home to an archaeological site that includes Phrygian remains and an inscription mentioning King Midas.

Archaeological evidence suggests that human settlement in the area dates back to the early Bronze Age, although there is no evidence of a continuous settlement. The most significant monuments in Yazılıkaya were built between 800 and 600 BC, during which time it was the second most important place in Phrygian civilization, after their capital city, Gordion. Four fortresses, located on nearby hills - Akpara, Pişmiş, Gökgöz and Kocabaş - protected the area.

Yazilikaya - Midas Monument

The Phrygians are thought to have abandoned the Yazılıkaya area around 500 BCE. Later, around 300 CE, the region was occupied by Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine cultures that colonized Anatolia, as evidenced by the structures and inscriptions found nearby.

Yazılıkaya is home to the impressive Midas Monument, a limestone structure dating back to around 500 BC, adorned with intricate decorations. The monument is carved into the vertical rock, resembling an entrance to a temple, with a shallow niche resembling the threshold of the goddess Cybele's abode. The structure's square façade has a side length of 16 meters and imitates the Phrygian megaron style, which features a deep hall in front and a shallow porch or entrance at the back. The niche is surrounded by geometric patterns designed to resemble a maze, with an acroterion topping the structure that has unfortunately not survived to this day.

An Old Phrygian inscription above the monument's façade states that it was dedicated in honor of King Midas by a certain Ates, who may have been a priest. However, given that several Phrygian rulers bore the name Midas, researchers are uncertain about the monument's exact origin. Despite this uncertainty, the Midas Monument remains an impressive testament to the artistic and cultural achievements of the Phrygian civilization.