September 2020 FRIENDS OF GORDION NEWSLETTER Figure 1: The Gordion 2020 team, including the house staff and representatives from the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara. Standing, from left to right: Ceren Utğu, Süde Esen, Can Utğu, Gareth Darbyshire, Halil Demirdelen, Tuğba Gençer, Günsel Özbilen Güngör, Mustafa Metin, and Ahmet Remzi Erdoğan (Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara). Kneeling, from left to right, Zekeriya Utğu, Kutay Utğu, and Brian Rose. Photo by Ahmet Remzi Erdoğan. This was a summer unlike any other at several months, between March and May, anthropology; Ali Metin Büyükkarakaya, Gordion due to the COVID-19 pandemic. we were uncertain whether it would even physical anthropology; Gareth Darbyshire, As scholars, we have often thought about be possible to conduct fieldwork this year, archivist and specialist in iron objects; and earlier pandemics: the plague of Athens although in the end we secured permission me (fig. 1). We received constant support in 430 B.C., the Antonine plague in from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and advice from our representative, Halil Europe in the second century A.D., or the and from Penn for a two-week season in Demirdelen of the Ankara Ethnographic Justinianic plague throughout Europe and August, from the 3rd to the 18th. Museum (fig. 2), and we were fortunate the Middle East in the sixth century A.D.; The staff numbered only five: Günsel to have two more archaeologists staying but this is the first one that we’ve had to live Güngör as assistant director, illustrator, and with us at the excavation house: Mustafa through and learn how to negotiate. For lamp specialist; Tuğba Gencer, physical Metin and Ahmet Remzi Erdoğan of the 1 Friends of Gordion Newsletter Figure 2: Halil Demirdelen walking through the recently conserved Early Phrygian Gate (9th century B.C.). Photo by Brian Rose. Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in damaged in the great fire of 800 B.C. is now especially important since the rich Ankara, who were engaged in inventory There have been no cases of COVID archaeological heritage of Gordion has and photography in the Gordion Museum. in the village of Yassıhöyük where we become increasingly vulnerable. The Although there was no excavation or live, but we followed safety procedures site has been the target of looters since architectural conservation this season, throughout the season, including the antiquity, but the situation has worsened we were able to clean the Citadel Mound wearing of masks, morning temperature considerably during the last 20 years. and do a condition assessment of those checks, several hand-sanitizer stations, Several of the monumental burial mounds, buildings on the Citadel Mound that had and staggered seating at meals. Everyone or tumuli, have been robbed; others have been conserved last year, including the stayed healthy throughout the season, and been completely destroyed by plowing and Early Phrygian citadel’s East Gate. We fortunately we remain healthy. new construction. There has also been look forward to an especially ambitious One of our most important activities damage by earthquake to the East Gate architectural conservation program in during this short field season involved of the Early Phrygian citadel (9th century 2021, when we will return to Gordion’s working on the nomination file for B.C.). industrial district, the Terrace Complex, to Gordion to be inscribed on the UNESCO Since 2007 we have pursued an finish conserving the walls that had been World Heritage List. Such a designation intensive program of conservation to 2 September 2020 preserve all monuments that are at risk, In this newsletter we normally present energetic support of our representative, but Gordion’s inclusion among the sites on the results of conservation and excavation Mr. Halil Demirdelen of the Museum UNESCO’s World Heritage List would during the fieldwork season, but this year of Ethnography in Ankara. We also help immeasurably in ensuring the success I’m delighted to feature the research that benefited tremendously from the visit of these programs and reducing further was either conducted at Gordion in 2020, of Mr. Yusuf Kıraç, the new director of depredations. To complete the UNESCO or that focused on Gordion material the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations nomination file, we worked closely with which is about to be published. The next in Ankara. We extend warm thanks to the Department of World Heritage Sites two years will witness the publication of the General Directorate for Cultural within the General Directorate of Cultural Gordion’s bone and ivory objects (Phoebe Heritage and Museums, especially Mr. Heritage and Museums, a division of the Sheftel), Lydian pottery (Gül Gürtekin Gökhan Yazgı, General Director, Mr. Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Demir), cremation tumuli (Elspeth Gökhan Bozkurtlar, head of the General Two members of the Department, Zeynep Dusinberre and Ellen Kohler), and Greek Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Tuna Yüncü and Pınar Kuşseven, spent imported pottery (Kathleen Lynch), all Museums, Mr. Köksal Özköklü, Mr. five days at Gordion, during which of whom report on their research below. Umut Görgülü, Ms. Nihal Metin, and we nearly completed our work on the There are also summaries of recently Mr. İbrahim Bolat. Equally generous in nomination file. This is a lengthy process, completed or ongoing research: Tumulus their assistance were the Kaymakam and and no decision will be made until after 52, a monumental 8th century tumulus Belediye Başkanı of Polatlı, Mr. Murat a UNESCO on-site evaluation that will that was excavated in partnership with Bulacak and Mr. Mürsel Yıldızkaya, probably take place next summer, but we the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in respectively. Mr. Kadim Koç, Polatlı are hopeful for a positive outcome. Ankara (Mustafa Metin. Tolga Çelik, and Belediye Başkanı Yardımcısı, visited the In order to enable visitors and the local Braden Cordivari); the lamps of Gordion site several times to discuss educational community to become more familiar (Günsel Güngör), the skeletal material programming in and about Gordion, and with the excavations at Gordion and in the Lower Town (Tuğba Gençer), he was a constant source of support for us. the cultural heritage of the region, we Gordion vehicles (Gareth Darbyshire), Within the U.S., we continually rely have produced a new site guidebook in and the Early Phrygian Terrace Complex, on the counsel, guidance, and support of tandem with the municipality of Polatlı, which is a project begun by Ken Sams and Charles K. Williams II, as well as Julian under the general supervision of Mr. completed by me. Siggers, the Williams Director of the Penn Kadim Koç. The book was written by the One new physical anthropology Museum, Amanda Mitchell-Boyask, Gordion team and edited by Ayşe Gürsan project inaugurated this year deserves Executive Director of Advancement at the Salzmann, Gordion’s deputy director. It mention here although it is still in early Penn Museum, and the Museum’s Board will be printed in Turkish this year with stages. Ali Metin Büyükkarakaya of of Overseers. an English version to follow, and we are Hacettepe University has located the We would like to close by noting indebted to the Museum of Anatolian bones from the Iron Age tumuli excavated again that none of our accomplishments Civilizations in Ankara and especially to by Rodney Young in the 1950s and 1960s. this summer would have been possible the museum’s director, Yusuf Kıraç, for his These were stored at Ankara University without your encouragement and generous support. shortly after their excavation, and they will support. It is a pleasure to acknowledge, A film production company, Windfall form the core of a new research program in particular, the assistance offered to us Films, arrived at Gordion in the middle dealing with the early history of the by the Penn Museum of Archaeology of the season to produce a documentary Phrygians, who appear to have migrated and Anthropology, the C. K. Williams II entitled Gordion Unearthed: The City of King from southeastern Europe to Asia Minor Foundation, the Merops Foundation, the Midas. The production crew also travelled in the 12th or 11th century B.C. Our hope Selz Foundation, the Areté Foundation, to Midas City and Sardis, so their coverage is that we can combine DNA and physical Matthew J. Storm, C94, WG00, and of Midas, the Phrygians, and the Lydians analysis of these bones with those from Natalia Arias Storm. At this particular will be particularly comprehensive. The Bulgaria and Troy, since the migrants time, when the cultural heritage of so program will be broadcast on the Science arrived in Troy at more or less the same much of the Middle East has disappeared Channel, and I’ll be sure to alert you to it time as those who went to Gordion. so rapidly and more remains under threat, once the air date is established. I again want to acknowledge the we’re grateful for the investment that 3 Friends of Gordion Newsletter Figure 3: View northeast from Tumulus 52 (8th century B.C.) on the South Ridge toward the Northeast Ridge, with Tumulus MM (ca. 740 B.C.) visible at left, and Tumulus W (ca. 850 B.C.) at right. Photo by Braden Cordivari. you’ve made in the preservation of the past Tumulus 52: A Monumental Burial years old, a situation unparalleled at and the discoveries of the future. Mound of the 8th Century B.C. Gordion. T52’s prominent position We hope to be able to share our results on the South Ridge underscores the with more of you during this year, at Mustafa Metin and Tolga Çelik, importance of these individuals. The lectures in the U.S. or at Gordion itself. Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, tomb chamber was partially robbed You’ll find the latest information about the Ankara, and Braden Cordivari, sometime in the 13th to 14th century project on our website: University of Cambridge A.D., but many objects remained intact and in situ.