Excavations in front of the Phrygian rock altar at the Midas fortress, associated with King Midas of Phrygia, uncovered hearths and ovens that date back to the 7th century BC.
Located in the Han district of Eskişehir, Türkiye, the Midas fortress was constructed by the Phrygians in the 8th century BC and is also home to Yazılıkaya.
Yazılıkaya is recognized as one of the earliest open-air temples globally and offers valuable insights into the religious practices of the Phrygian people.
According to a report on Anatolian archaeology, excavations led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yusuf Polat from the Department of Archaeology at Anadolu University Faculty of Arts revealed that the hearths and ovens uncovered were used for cooking the meat of large and small livestock sacrificed for religious rituals by the Phrygians, as well as for baking bread.
The excavation team worked in the area referred to as the ‘Agdistis sacred site’ on the upper section of the rocky plateau.
Yusuf Polat said, ‘Thanks to the comprehensive excavations conducted for the first time in front of a Phrygian altar, we have determined that preparations for rituals were carried out in front of the altar, with the presence of hearths and structures with a simple stone foundation and wooden construction.’
‘According to our initial findings, in the sacred area dated to the 8th-7th century BC, which corresponds to the Middle Phrygian Period, we also identified Lydia ceramics from the 7th-6th century BC, as well as ceramics and artifacts from the Roman Period dated to the 1st and 2nd centuries in the upper layers.’
The idol of the Mother Goddess Matar was found
In the excavation area, four rock basins arranged in succession were also uncovered on the rocky platform, along with a rock idol representing abstract depictions of the mother goddess Matar located nearby.
Polat said, ‘The presence of the rock basins and the idol located nearby serves as concrete evidence that this area was sanctified for abundance and fertility rituals by the mother goddess.’
Cover photo: Anadolu University