A Groundbreaking New Discovery in Türkiye’s UNESCO Site of Gordion
Türkiye’s archaeological landscape, driven by several excavation and restoration projects to ensure the sustainability of its cultural heritage, has once again revealed an exciting discovery. As part of the country’s Legacy for the Future project, which extends excavations nationwide and throughout all seasons, a wooden burial chamber has been unearthed in Gordion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Turkish capital, Ankara. The chamber is considered one of the most significant findings since the Tumulus of Midas in the archaeological site.
The wooden burial chamber unearthed in Tumulus T26, which is the 47th tumulus excavated in Gordion, is believed to have belonged to a Phrygian royal family. Measuring 3.1 by 2.8 metres, the burial chamber is a striking archaeological development that sheds light on the burial traditions and history of the Phrygians. In this untouched chamber, a total of 88 metal artefacts were discovered, including large cauldrons and bronze vessels hanging on the southern and northern walls with iron nails. These well-preserved finds represent the most substantial group of artefacts uncovered in Gordion after those from the Great Tumulus (or the tomb of King Midas).
The bronze and iron objects unearthed in Tumulus T26 were transported under special conditions to the Ankara Regional Laboratory for Restoration and Conservation. There, they underwent meticulous processes by expert teams, including corrosion cleaning, chemical stabilisation, repair of fractures, and support for missing parts to preserve their physical integrity as well as historical and cultural value. Restoration and conservation work has already been completed for 47 of these artefacts, which have now been brought to the Gordion Museum. Once the necessary procedures are finalised, the remaining artefacts will also take their place in the museum.
The archaeological site of Gordion was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023, making it Türkiye’s 20th entry on the list. Over the past century, excavations at a total of 46 tumuli on the site have revealed ancient artefacts that show traces of Phrygian civilisation. The site’s inclusion in the Legacy for the Future project in 2024 has also begun to yield significant results, accelerating research, conservation, and promotion efforts.
However, Gordion is not the only ancient site in Türkiye to benefit from the project, which has rapidly expanded to include a total of 251 excavation sites nationwide. As part of the initiative, Türkiye has also declared 2024 the “Golden Age of Archaeology”. The number of archaeological works reached 765 the last year and is expected to climb to 800 by 2026.