Fieldwork at Phrygian Gordion, 2016–2023

Recent fieldwork at Gordion, Türkiye, has uncovered significant findings that challenge long-standing assumptions about the site's history. The South Gate, discovered on the Citadel Mound, was found to be in use for over 1,200 years, from the ninth century BCE to the fourth century CE, accompanied by a nearly 100-meter-long approach road. Excavations in the Mosaic Building Complex revealed that it was constructed around 575 BCE, predating its initial estimation by a century and a half, and likely housed the Gordian Knot cut by Alexander the Great in 333 BCE. The complex also yielded a stone omphalos and two gilded ivory sphinxes, possibly part of a throne. Additionally, Tumulus 52 contained over 3,000 Baltic amber beads, suggesting a connection to Midas' family. Gordion was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023.

Rose, C. B., Darbyshire, G., Gençer, T., & Oreshko, R. (2025). Fieldwork at Phrygian Gordion, 2016–2023. American Journal of Archaeology, 129(2), 219–256. https://doi.org/10.1086/733929