Archaeologists have discovered what they believe is the ‘lost ancient city’ that defeated Phrygia, the kingdom ruled by King Midas.
The team, from the University of Chicago, discovered a stone from the ancient city in southern Turkey, and believe it dates back to around 1400 to 600 BC.
The stone was found to contain strange inscriptions that resembled hieroglyphics.
Dr James Osborne, one of the researchers on the study, said: “We could see it still sticking out of the water, so we jumped right down into the canal—up to our waists wading around.
“Right away it was clear it was ancient, and we recognised the script it was written in: Luwian, the language used in the Bronze and Iron ages in the area.”
Inscriptions on the stone suggest that the city defeated Phrygia, the kingdom ruled by Kin Midas, a ruler said to have a ‘golden touch’.
The stone read: "The storm gods delivered the [opposing] kings to his majesty."
Initial analysis suggests that the city was around 300 acres in size, making it one of the largest ancient cities of Bronze and Iron Age Turkey.
Dr Osborne said: “We had no idea about this kingdom. In a flash, we had profound new information on the Bronze Age Middle East.”
The researchers now hope to return to the site to learn more about the ancient city.
Dr Osborne added: “Inside this mound are going to be palaces, monuments, houses. This stele was a marvelous, incredibly lucky find—but it’s just the beginning.”
