Lydian "Midas Monument" 550 BCE

(January 19, 2024) Map of the Midas City Plateau located at the southern end of the sacred Yazılıkaya Valley, just west of Yazılıkaya village. The plateau is made of tuff (hardened volcanic ash) which is still easy to carve. Its valley is guarded by 4 fortresses overlooking the road entrances. The most important structures on the plateau are  monumental rock-cut stepped altars and shrines. This was also a common burial site having at least two large rock tunnels containing vaults, and cisterns carved into the rock on the lower terrace in the southwest direction. The plateau's sides hold many chamber tombs and cult structures consisting of monumental scale façades, stepped altars, and niches. 

Image licensed by Bora Bilgin for Non-commercial use. Online at: https://www.phrygianmonuments.com/midascity/index.htm

Lydia at its greatest extent under king Crosesus. The sacred valley containing Midas City was located just west of Gordium in the center
From Wikimedian Commons at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kingdom_of_Lydia.png

Phrygian and Lydian History

(January 20, 2024) Ancient Greek authors used "Phrygian" as an umbrella term to describe a vast ethno-cultural complex located mainly in the central areas of Anatolia after the Hittite Empire collapsed.  They established a system of roads later utilized by the Persians. A trading kingdom seems to have grown up centered on the city of Gordium which was the main river port for trade coming down the Sakarya river from the Black sea and headed towards more inland areas such as Mesopotamia. They were invaded around 730 BCE by the Assyrians and they lost the eastern part of their kingdom.

The Phyrgian kingdom ended around 675 BCE with the invasion of the Cimmerians, a Transcaucasian people who burned their capital city of Gordium. A people further west known as the Lydians then took over this area. Their most famous king was King Croesus (585- 546 BCE). Croesus was renowned for his wealth; Herodotus (Histories , I, 50-51) and Pausanias noted that his gifts were preserved at Delphi. This indicates Lydia had extensive contacts with the Mediterranean world.

The Lydians and King Croesus were in turn conquered by the Persian Empire in 546 BCE by Cyrus the Great.

The land of "Libya" as opposed to Europe and Asia is all the land touched by trade along the northern Mediterranean coast heading out into the Atlantic. This includes the Carthaginian lands of the western coast of Africa. "Europe" is the trade along the Rhine and Danube river valleys. "Asia" is the trade from the Levant into Mesopotamia. (Image from: https://aamazzeas.blogspot.com/2020/02/greek-trade-in-mediterranean-sea-map.html)

Lydia Was The Trade Hub Between Northern European River Trade And Mediterranean Trade

(April 7, 2023) Ancient people divided land differently from today basing their division upon trade routes instead of land masses. The word "Europe" in ancient Greek texts refers to the Celtic and Phoenician trade routes along the Rhine-Danube-Anatolia-Phoenicia axis. In contrast "Libya" is the trade route along the Mediterranean coast from Anatolia to Britain. The Levant and Mesopotamia were "Asia."

The word "Libu" in Akkadian has an unknown meaning suggesting it is some sort of a geographic reference. The closest word to it is "li'bu" meaning disease or "place of disease."

In Homer's Odyssey it's definition is also uncertain. In this qualtiy edition by A.T. Murry (1919) it is translated as "lotus eaters" or "lotus" instead of "Libya." The location the Cyclops is vague in Homer but the later poet Euripides (c. 480 – c. 406 BC) locates the land of the Cyclops on the island of Sicily near Mount Etna which would be out of the way for any normal travel between Troy and Greece.


Book 23 - [310] He began by telling how at the first he overcame the Cicones, and then came to the rich land of the Lotus-eaters, and all that the Cyclops wrought, and how he made him pay the price for his mighty comrades, whom the Cyclops had eaten, and had shown no pity. Then how he came to Aeolus, who received him with a ready heart, [315] (http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.perseus-eng1:23.310-23.343)
Book 9 - [90] two men I chose, sending with them a third as a herald. So they went straightway and mingled with the Lotus-eaters, and the Lotus-eaters did not plan death for my comrades, but gave them of the lotus to taste. And whosoever of them ate of the honey-sweet fruit of the lotus, [95] had no longer any wish to bring back word or to return, but there they were fain to abide among the Lotus-eaters, feeding on the lotus, and forgetful of their homeward way. These men, therefore, I brought back perforce to the ships, weeping, and dragged them beneath the benches and bound them fast in the hollow ships; [100] and I bade the rest of my trusty comrades to embark with speed on the swift ships, lest perchance anyone should eat of the lotus and forget his homeward way. So they went on board straightway and sat down upon the benches, and sitting well in order smote the grey sea with their oars. [105]

Reference


Homer. The Odyssey with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1919.

Europe originally meant the lands along the Danube/Rhine/Anatolian coast trade route between Britain Thames River and Turkiye's Ceyhan river.

Early illustration of the Midas Monument facade showing the approximate locations of its 2 large texts on the right and upper left. Each alcove also has a text. Based on the texts this facade was likely a large shrine dedicated to the connective life goddess Ayu.

Image licensed by Bora Bilgin for Non-commercial use. Online at: https://www.phrygianmonuments.com/midascity/index.htm

Midas Monument Facade Today

Image licensed by Bora Bilgin for Non-commercial use. Online at: https://www.phrygianmonuments.com/midascity/index.htm

Midas Monument Facade Today

Image licensed by Bora Bilgin for Non-commercial use. Online at: https://www.phrygianmonuments.com/midascity/index.htm

(January 20, 2024). The text is mostly Aegean Island with a little bit of Etruscan influence. Original image from Bora Bilgin for Non-commercial use. Red letter assignments by Olmsted. Original photo online at: https://www.phrygianmonuments.com/midascity/index.htm

Translation of Line 1 in Akkadian (Med Text 52.1)

(read right to left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Vowels are italic bold) 
  1. A Tu  EZu :  ARu  Ku  Ya  A.  EPu  AYu  Ṣu.  :  APu  EWu  A  U'a  Bu  Pa'u  :  MeDu  AYu  :  Gi  APu  AGu,  Tu  A  E  Ya  :  Pu  AMu,   AKu  Tu  Ḫu  Ya  :  EDu  A  EṢu. (Med 52.1 )
(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English

  1. Those astrological-powers can be frustrating.  :  The Motion-Controllers (Su, Selene) are not getting involved with them, the drying is activated by Ayu (a life power).  :  The veil is turning-its-attention-towards those fate-curses nourishing the network-birds (eagle-vultures)  :   which are created by Ayu.  :   Emotional-energy can veil the anger but astrology-magic is not coming from that (emotion magic) :  Open the  Reed-Boat (Ayu).  The emotion-owls of astrology-magic are not Hu.  :  Motivate that shedding (of rain). 

Previous Attempted Greek Translation

The most recent 2008 attempt at least recognizes most of the words are not Greek. Yet like all the others it also has incorrect letter assignments. The attempted translation by Roger Woodard is:

Notice that this translation continues the old tradition of seeing the legendary King Midas in this inscription. That word does not actually exist yet it is the basis of claiming that all the inscriptions on this plateau were done by Phrygians. This is how fake history begins.

Reference

Woodard, Roger D. (2008). The Ancient Languages of Asia Minor. Cambridge University Press. p. 78. ISBN 9781139469333

(January 20, 2024). The text is mostly Alpine Pontic indicating this shrine belonged to traders on the Danube River trade route. Original image from Bora Bilgin for Non-commercial use. Red letter assignments by Olmsted. Original photo online at: https://www.phrygianmonuments.com/midascity/index.htm

Translation of Line 2 in Akkadian (Med Text 52.2)

(read right to left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Vowels are italic bold) 
  1. Ṣu  Ya  Zu  :  A  E  ESu.  Ru  Za"u  Za'u  Za'u  Zu.  Le'u  Gu  YaYa  :   (Med 52.2)
(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English

  1. Activations are not emanations (rain water oozing from clouds and ground water oozing from earth)  :  Those (activations) are not from the filter (life network).  Eagle-vultures are baking, baking, baking the emanations.  Astrological-powers are energizing the pain.

(January 21, 2024). This is the side text rotated horizontally. This letter style is halfway between the Greek letters on the Rosetta Stone and Scandinavian Coastal letters. Hence, this text belongs to traders from a different river than the Danube whose Alpine Pontic was the ancestor of the inland Scandinavian letter style mostly found in Sweden. The most likely candidate is the Dnipro/Daugava River route. Original image from Bora Bilgin for Non-commercial use. Red letter assignments by Olmsted. Original photo online at: https://www.phrygianmonuments.com/midascity/index.htm

Translation of Line 3 in Akkadian (Med Text 52.3)

(read right to left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Vowels are italic bold) 
  1. Bu  ABu  A  :  Mu  E,  Mu  EPu  AYu  Ṣu  :  Lu  Re'u  ITu  A  Pa'u  Ṣu  :  Ka'u  Ya  Zu  AMu  APu.  E  Za'u  Ṣu  :  Ṣu  IKu  EMu  EMu  AMu  :  E  Gu  A  EṢu   (Med 52.3)
(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English

  1. Nourishments are due to the life-priests.  :  Fertility-fluids are nothing.  Fertility-fluids are being dried out by Ayu's activation :  Lack of shepherds (magic crafters) is overshadowing their network-bird activations.  :  Not prodding  the emanations veils the Reed-Boat (Ayu), Nothing activates the baking.  :  Activation of the irrigation can supervise the supervision of the Reed-Boat (Ayu)  :  Nothing is energizing that shedding.

(January 21, 2024) Unfortunately, the text of the main alcove is unreadable from photos. The letters were even inked in red at one time which may be good or bad depending on their quality. Original image from Bora Bilgin for Non-commercial use. Original photo online at: https://www.phrygianmonuments.com/midascity/index.htm