Dr Osborne said the city likely spanned as wide as 300 acres at its peak and would have been one of the largest ancient cities of Bronze and Iron Age Turkey. They don't yet know what the kingdom was called, but its discovery is revolutionary news in the f Dr Osborne said the city likely spanned as wide as 300 acres at its peak and would have been one of the largest ancient cities of Bronze and Iron Age Turkey. They don't yet know what the kingdom was called, but its discovery is revolutionary news in the f

Archaeologists discover 'lost' ancient civilisation in Turkey

 ... that 'may have defeated the kingdom of Midas in battle'

  • A stone with inscriptions from a king was found by a farmer in an irrigation canal 
  • Archaeologists found it carried a message in Luwian hieroglyphics from a king 
  • Speaks of a monarch called Hartapu who ruled the region around 8th century BC
  • Mentions he may have led a conquest over Phrygia, the home of the famed King Midas who had a golden touch 

Evidence of a previously unknown ancient civilisation that existed for around 800 years has been found in Southern Turkey.  

Archaeologists stumbled across an inscribed rock which reveals the existence of the long-lost civilisation after a farmer found it in an irrigation canal. 

The stone was inscribed with hieroglyphs in the ancient Luwian dialect and experts translated the now extinct language. 

This revealed the existence of a previously unknown people and their ruler, King Hartapu. 

The hieroglyphic message regales readers with the heroic tale of how King Hartapu conquered Phrygia—the home of the legendary King Midas.

No name has yet been given to the civilisation or its capital city, which is thought to have spanned more than 300 acres in its prime.  

It is believed the empire may have existed from between 1400BC to around 600BC. 

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By Joe Pinkstone / Science and Technology Reporter

UK Science and Technology reporter for @MailOnline. @UniLincoln alumni.

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(Source: dailymail.co.uk; February 25, 2020; https://is.gd/NX32yl)
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