Archaeologists discover 2,500-year-old Midas dynasty tomb in Turkey
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Alaina
- . June 14, 2025
- . Update: June 16, 2025 5:23 pm
Recent discoveries from an ancient burial mound in Turkiye have changed what we thought we knew about the mythical King Midas of legends. Archaeologists now think that a massive burial mound located near Ankara, which has long been associated with Midas, might have belonged to his father, King Gordias.
The burial mound was discovered in 1957. It is the largest burial mound in the region and has foundations built below a large earth mound. The most interesting thing that archaeologists discovered was a wooden chamber made of cedar and juniper, which was preserved for almost 3,000 years, it is also the oldest standing wooden structure in the world.
Researchers have recommended the tomb was built sometime around 740 BCE using tree-ring dating. King Midas was most likely still alive decades later, therefore the burial site must have belonged to his father.
The tomb contained a staggering amount of ancient artifacts, e.g. Carved wooden furniture, bronze vessels, colored fabrics, and even segments of a royal feast of cooked lamb or goat with lentil stew, wine, and olive oil.
As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the mound offers the public a rare insight into the powerful Phrygian civilization. This is more than just a tomb—it’s an insightful capsule of royal life, myths, and traditions from almost 3,000 years ago.
