page_title: Yazılıkaya, Eskişehir
section_title: The Midas Monument
hierarchical_section_title: Yazılıkaya, Eskişehir / The Midas Monument
caption_attribution_description: Midas Tomb at the archeological site Midas City (Midas Şehri). The site is in the village of Yazilikaya, midway between Eskişehir and Afyon. See also a close-up of the inscription. The relief is 17 meters high and dates from the 6th century BC.
context_page_description: Yazılıkaya, Phrygian Yazılıkaya, or Midas Kenti is a village in Eskişehir Province, Turkey known for its Phrygian archaeological remains and inscription mentioning Midas.
  The ancient remains are sometimes called the Midas Monument or Midas City and were formerly identified as the tomb of Midas.
  Yazılıkaya is about 27 km south of Seyitgazi, 66 km south of Eskişehir, and 51 km north of Afyonkarahisar.
context_section_description: The most prominent part of the Midas Monument is a high rock-cut facade with an incised decoration apparently showing a pedimented temple front with acroteria, faced with terra cotta and with a niche at the bottom center.  The niche's walls bear graffiti reading MATAR (Mother, i.e. the goddess Cybele) and it probably held a statue of Cybele.
  The monument carries a dedication in Old Phrygian by Ates son of Arkias to Midas (ΜΙΔΑΙ ϜΑΝΑΚΤΕΙ), and probably dates from the 7th or 6th century BCE. The inscription mentions Midas with his titles: MIDAI LAVAGTAEI VANAKTEI, probably meaning "leader of the people" and "ruler". The inscription is:
  ATES... MIDAI LAVAGTAEI VANAKTEI EDAES
  
  Ates.... has dedicated [this monument) to Midas, lavagtas and vanax.
caption: The Midas Monument
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