On this site are megarons, which are buildings preceded by a porch with a hearth in the middle, or great halls from the Mycenaean culture. They were thought to be part of palaces. One megaron has the oldest mosaic pebble dating back to the 8th century BC.

But, Gordion is of interest today because the tumulus of King Midas, who had the famous golden touch, is believed to be located on this mound. The sketch shows the gate to the wooden tomb under the Midas Mound, which is preceded by the dromos. It was built as a narrow corridor to trap the enemy for a shower of oil. The Persians built a stepped masonry wall, when the gate fell in disuse; the space between the gate and the wall was filled in. A Persian garrison was built here when Lydia was conquered by King Cyrus the Great of Persia. Due to the Persian occupation, it is difficult to decipher the site archaeologically.

We visited the small museum here.

The terrace is protected by the Eagle and the Lion deities.  The following are the 5 deities: Apollo, Tyche, Zeus, Antiochus, and Herakles.

The western terrace contains a large slab with a lion.  It is known as the ‘Lion of Commagene’ and it bears significant astronomical information.  It shows the arrangement of stars and the position of 3 planets: Jupiter, Mercury and Mars with the crescent moon to indicate the date of July 7th 61 or 62 BC.  It is the time when Antiochus ascended the throne and on his birthday incense should be burned.

The cones are undisturbed.

This monument was commissioned by Antiochus I as a Hierotheseion, a Greek word for a sacred burial precinct of the royal family.  The funerary monument was used for celebrating the imperial cult.  The imperial cult in ancient Rome was the worship of a few select emperors as gods once they were deceased.  The Romans took over this political device after the fall of Greek influence in the ancient world.  The monument is measured at 150m in diameter and 50m in height.  It is believed that Antiochus I was buried here.  In the 1950′s and 70′s, archaeologists tried to locate the tomb but were unsuccessful.  The tumulus was made of stones and if you start excavating, there will be collapse.

Ahlat was a favorite burial place.  The Seljuks took this place from the Byzantines because it was an important region.  It contained many tombstones and other burial objects; most and most dominant are from the 12th and 13th centuries.  Later Ottomans conquered this area, but it primarily remained with the Seljuks.  Much decoration is shared with Christianity as there was an exchange between the Christian and the Seljukid.

It is covered with frescoes inside. The dome contains scenes of Adam and Eve.  Here is a sketch of the interior and a quick one at a distance.

The monument is a great example where amalgamation occurs from many different civilizations dating back to 1500 BC.  When speaking of modes of depiction, we should remember the Hittites and how their deities are done in an intertwined fashion.  But here, it’s Christian.  There is Jonah and the Whale, David and Goliath, and Christ depicted.  The carvings are also similar to the Assyrian reliefs of animals, but again it’s Christian here.  The idea of many ferocious animals in enjoyment patterns is very rustic.

It is no question that the exterior is evoking the Holy Book with heraldic figures or winged creatures.  It should be noted that Adam and Eve are not done in Greek proportion here.