Dating Gordion: the Timing and Tempo of Late Bronze and Early Iron Age Political Transformation

A major conflagration in the late 9th century BCE at Gordion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and pivotal archaeological site in central Anatolia, marks a significant political transformation from Hittite hegemony to the rise of the Phrygian polity. This study presents fifteen new radiocarbon dates that revise the chronology of this transition, challenging previous assumptions about the timing of cultural shifts. The research employs advanced absolute dating techniques to establish a precise framework for understanding the collapse of the Hittite Empire and the subsequent emergence of Phrygia as a dominant political force in Anatolia from the 9th to 7th centuries BCE. These findings reshape our perspective on the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age transition, highlighting Gordion's precocious development into an early Phrygian capital.

Kealhofer, L., Grave, P., & Voigt, M. M. (2019). Dating Gordion: the Timing and Tempo of Late Bronze and Early Iron Age Political Transformation. Radiocarbon, 61(2), 495–514. https://doi.org/10.1017/rdc.2018.152