Archaeologists in Turkey Have Discovered a Mysterious Ancient Kingdom Lost in History

The archaeological mound at Türkmen-Karahöyük. (James Osborne)

PETER DOCKRILL25 JANUARY 2021

It was said that all he touched turned to gold. But destiny eventually caught up with the legendary King Midas, and a long-lost chronicle of his ancient downfall appears to have literally surfaced in Turkey.

In 2019, archaeologists were investigating an ancient mound site in central Turkey called Türkmen-Karahöyük. The greater region, the Konya Plain, abounds with lost metropolises, but even so, researchers couldn't have been prepared for what they were about to find.

A local farmer told the group that a nearby canal, recently dredged, revealed the existence of a large strange stone, marked with some kind of unknown inscription.

"We could see it still sticking out of the water, so we jumped right down into the canal – up to our waists wading around," said archaeologist James Osborne from the University of Chicago in early 2020.

"Right away it was clear it was ancient, and we recognised the script it was written in: Luwian, the language used in the Bronze and Iron ages in the area."

"Right away it was clear it was ancient, and we recognised the script it was written in: Luwian, the language used in the Bronze and Iron ages in the area."



The half-submerged stone with inscriptions dating to the 8th century BCE. (James Osborne)

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/archaeologists-in-turkey-have-discovered-a-mysterious-ancient-kingdom-lost-in-history