Page:History of Art in Phrygia, Lydia, Caria and Lycia.djvu/23

 'HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF THE PHRYGIANS. 7 where, by common consent, is placed the cradle of the Phrygian race the scene, at least, upon which the nation unfolded and laid the foundation of a mighty kingdom. Here were many temples, and many votive objects put therein ; the famous chariot, for example, upon which Alexander the Great rested his hand for a while, 1 and many sacred springs ; 2 whilst the names of Gordios and Midas linger to this day in Gordion and Midaion, where once these kings were enthroned, but which are now reduced to mere hamlets. 3 These names, about which cluster so many fables, are prominent figures in the Phrygian mythic cycle ; one might be inclined to regard them as purely legendary, but for the fact that they appear on the sculptured facades of the Phrygian sepulchres, written in letters not a whit more difficult to read than very old from incorrect sketches, are far from satisfactory. The book is valuable on account of the inscriptions, copied, as a rule, with care. TEXIER, Description de FAsie Mineure, torn. i. pp. 153-162, Plates VI.-LXI. The drawings are among the best brought home by Te"xier ; a few of them only require light corrections to make them quite exact. G. PERROT, Ed. Guillaume et J. Delbet, Explor. Arche. de la Galatie, torn. i. pp. 135-186, 168-170, Plates VII., VIII. The little time the explorers had at their disposal obliged them to confine their observations to the so-called Tomb of Midas and the fortress known as Pishmish Kalessi, but they made very complete and careful tracings. W. M. RAMSAY, Studies in Asia Minor i. The Rock Necropoles of Phrygia ; 2. Sipylosand Cybele, Plates XVII.-XXII. (Journal of Hell. Studies, torn. iii. pp. 1-68) ; Some Phrygian Monuments, Plates XXVI.-XXIX., pp. 156-262 ; Sepulchral Customs in Ancient Phrygia, Plate XLIV. (Journal, torn. v. pp. 241-262). No one knows more about this district, its history and antiquities, than Professor Ramsay. He has visited it no less than six times from 1881 to the present year; twice in 1881, and once in 1884, 1886, 1888, 1890. Unfortunately he cannot hold a pencil, and the sketches of M. Blunt, his companion in one of these expeditions, leave much to be desired, and, according to Professor Ramsay, are not always reliable. It is to be regretted that Professor Ramsay should not collect and publish in a separate volume the mass of useful matter he has gleaned. 1 ARRIAN, Anabasis, ii. 3 ; PLUTARCH, Alexander, xviii. 2 Midas springs were pointed out to the traveller in several cities of the Phrygian plateau ; one was at Ancyra (Pausanius, I. iv. 5), a town whose foundation was ascribed to Midas, and another in the neighbourhood of Tymbrion and Tyraeon (XENOPHON, Anab., I. ii. 13). 8 Strabo, XII. V. 3 : IIA.770-V 4>puyoiv oi/o/Trjpia Mt'Sov, KCU ITI irpoVepov PopSiou /cat aAAa>v TU/WV, ouS' txyrj (movTa TroXew, aAAa Kaj/zat, /u*p<3 //,tous T>V aAAcoi', diov eo-rl TO Topotov Kai Pop/Sclavs, TO TOU Kcurropos /?ao-t'A.iov TOV SawKovSapiW On the probable position of Gordion, see PERROT, Expl. Arche., torn. i. pp. 152-155. Midaion seems to have stood somewhat more to the south, on the old route which ran from Dorylaeum, nov Aski Sheher, to Pessinus.