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.

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)

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

These astrology-magics are being frustrating. : The Controllers (eagle-vultures) 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:

ATES... MIDAI LAVAGTAEI VANAKTEI EDAES
Ates.... has dedicated (this monument) to Midas, lavagtas and vanax.

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)

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

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. Fate is 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)

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

Nourishments are due to priest-parents (integrators of life and motion powers). : Fertility-fluids are nothing. Fertility-fluids are being dried out by Ayu's activation : Lack of shepherds (astrology 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

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