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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,310 Narrator: A mysterious ruined citadel. 2 00:00:09,517 --> 00:00:13,413 Could this be the home of The legendary king midas? 3 00:00:13,448 --> 00:00:15,310 The story of midas And the golden touch is 4 00:00:15,344 --> 00:00:18,103 One of the most famous In greek mythology. 5 00:00:18,137 --> 00:00:19,482 Narrator: It's said that everything 6 00:00:19,517 --> 00:00:21,620 King midas touches Turns to gold. 7 00:00:23,206 --> 00:00:26,758 But where does this outlandish Claim originate? 8 00:00:26,793 --> 00:00:30,137 Most myths have got Some kind of basis in truth. 9 00:00:30,172 --> 00:00:32,517 Narrator: Is midas a real person? 10 00:00:32,551 --> 00:00:34,655 And is this his tomb? 11 00:00:34,689 --> 00:00:37,241 This monument is one of The most spectacular 12 00:00:37,275 --> 00:00:39,965 Discoveries of The 20th century. 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,034 Narrator: today, experts peel Back the layers of 14 00:00:43,068 --> 00:00:46,172 A lost kingdom to reveal The surprising truth 15 00:00:46,206 --> 00:00:47,758 Behind the myth 16 00:00:49,689 --> 00:00:53,137 And travel deep inside Strange ancient mounds 17 00:00:54,551 --> 00:00:58,241 To discover whether these Ruins really do run with gold. 18 00:00:59,758 --> 00:01:03,517 On the quest for clues, We reconstruct a lavish city. 19 00:01:05,103 --> 00:01:07,310 We explore its dark tombs, 20 00:01:09,206 --> 00:01:11,793 Come face to face With a long-dead king, 21 00:01:13,206 --> 00:01:17,000 And investigate glittering Treasures to unearth 22 00:01:17,034 --> 00:01:18,482 What really lies behind 23 00:01:18,517 --> 00:01:21,551 The story of king midas And his golden touch. 24 00:01:21,586 --> 00:01:28,068 ♪♪ 25 00:01:30,931 --> 00:01:35,103 In central turkey lie The ruins of a powerful, 26 00:01:35,137 --> 00:01:38,689 Fortified city -- Gordion. 27 00:01:38,724 --> 00:01:43,275 It's nearly 3,000 years old But only recently discovered. 28 00:01:45,379 --> 00:01:47,724 Just over 100 years ago, 29 00:01:47,758 --> 00:01:50,586 Workers building a new Railroad stumble across 30 00:01:50,620 --> 00:01:53,310 An enormous mound Of ancient pottery. 31 00:01:53,344 --> 00:01:56,344 When the archaeologists Began excavating here, 32 00:01:56,379 --> 00:01:58,482 Even though they didn't know It on the first day, 33 00:01:58,517 --> 00:02:00,034 They were about To discover one of 34 00:02:00,068 --> 00:02:02,620 The major power centers Of the ancient world. 35 00:02:06,068 --> 00:02:09,689 Narrator: gordion is a city Of over 10,000 people 36 00:02:09,724 --> 00:02:12,000 And the heart Of a powerful kingdom. 37 00:02:13,551 --> 00:02:17,172 Towering over the city is A fortified citadel 38 00:02:17,206 --> 00:02:20,586 Protected by a stone wall Over 16 feet high. 39 00:02:24,586 --> 00:02:26,793 According to greek myth, 40 00:02:26,827 --> 00:02:29,862 The city's most famous ruler Is midas, 41 00:02:33,206 --> 00:02:35,758 A king who wishes for Everything he touches 42 00:02:35,793 --> 00:02:37,827 To turn to gold. 43 00:02:37,862 --> 00:02:39,172 It's an incredible story. 44 00:02:42,482 --> 00:02:43,862 Can it be based in truth? 45 00:02:43,896 --> 00:02:49,344 ♪♪ 46 00:02:49,379 --> 00:02:51,241 The story of midas And the golden touch 47 00:02:51,275 --> 00:02:53,275 Is one of the most famous In greek mythology. 48 00:02:54,689 --> 00:02:58,482 Narrator: today, brian rose Leads investigations at gordion. 49 00:03:00,586 --> 00:03:03,241 He's been working here For 15 years, 50 00:03:03,275 --> 00:03:07,206 Uncovering why the city Rises to prominence. 51 00:03:07,241 --> 00:03:08,758 When visitors came to gordion, 52 00:03:08,793 --> 00:03:11,620 They would have passed through A giant citadel gate, 53 00:03:13,517 --> 00:03:16,931 One of the largest citadel Gates anywhere in the near east. 54 00:03:18,517 --> 00:03:21,413 Narrator: the huge gateway Is over 30 feet high, 55 00:03:21,448 --> 00:03:23,758 And the walls more than 20 feet thick. 56 00:03:25,206 --> 00:03:29,034 Inside, there's an area For workers and another 57 00:03:29,068 --> 00:03:31,827 For the palaces and public Buildings of the elite. 58 00:03:35,137 --> 00:03:39,379 Gordion is the capital city of The ancient kingdom of phrygia, 59 00:03:39,413 --> 00:03:41,379 Which covers much of Modern-day turkey. 60 00:03:43,931 --> 00:03:47,068 It's an hour's drive from The turkish capital, ankara. 61 00:03:50,379 --> 00:03:53,241 So why did gordion Become so important? 62 00:03:53,275 --> 00:03:55,275 One of the reasons Is that it's right in 63 00:03:55,310 --> 00:03:58,620 The middle of the eastern World and the western world. 64 00:03:58,655 --> 00:04:00,344 All the trade routes between 65 00:04:00,379 --> 00:04:03,310 East and west pass Through gordion. 66 00:04:03,344 --> 00:04:05,379 Narrator: unlike the greeks And egyptians, 67 00:04:06,965 --> 00:04:09,827 The people of gordion leave Very few written records. 68 00:04:11,206 --> 00:04:13,551 Their lives are still Shrouded in mystery. 69 00:04:15,241 --> 00:04:18,310 Yet one story is passed down For generations. 70 00:04:22,034 --> 00:04:25,965 When midas does a favor For the greek god dionysus, 71 00:04:28,413 --> 00:04:29,896 He is granted a wish. 72 00:04:33,517 --> 00:04:35,793 Midas asks for a magic power, 73 00:04:37,448 --> 00:04:40,379 To turn everything He touches to gold, 74 00:04:40,413 --> 00:04:43,413 Making him rich Beyond measure. 75 00:04:45,344 --> 00:04:49,551 But when he tries to eat, His food turns to gold. 76 00:04:49,586 --> 00:04:52,068 When he hugs his daughter, 77 00:04:52,103 --> 00:04:54,172 She turns Into a golden statue. 78 00:04:56,103 --> 00:05:00,551 Dionysus has mercy and tells Midas to wash in the river, 79 00:05:00,586 --> 00:05:03,655 Which runs gold As the wish drains away. 80 00:05:08,034 --> 00:05:10,344 I do believe that most Myths probably 81 00:05:10,379 --> 00:05:12,689 Almost have got Some kind of basis in truth. 82 00:05:15,448 --> 00:05:18,448 Narrator: julian bennett Searches for evidence 83 00:05:18,482 --> 00:05:20,413 In the hills outside gordion. 84 00:05:21,965 --> 00:05:26,724 First, he needs to find out If midas is a real person. 85 00:05:28,724 --> 00:05:30,620 An astonishing monument Cut into 86 00:05:30,655 --> 00:05:33,275 The cliff face May offer clues. 87 00:05:33,310 --> 00:05:37,448 It's nearly 60 feet tall And covered with 88 00:05:37,482 --> 00:05:41,965 An intricate geometric design Of squares and crosses. 89 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,655 Bennett: they represent Buildings or temples, 90 00:05:44,689 --> 00:05:46,413 Wooden buildings Or wooden temples. 91 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,448 Narrator: julian thinks The monument could prove 92 00:05:52,482 --> 00:05:53,862 That midas is real. 93 00:05:55,620 --> 00:05:57,827 Bennett: from the style of This monument, we can 94 00:05:57,862 --> 00:06:01,103 Date it to about The eighth century b.C. 95 00:06:01,137 --> 00:06:03,103 Gordion reaches its peak Round about 96 00:06:03,137 --> 00:06:04,448 The eighth century b.C., 97 00:06:04,482 --> 00:06:07,103 Which we are told Was ruled by a midas, 98 00:06:07,137 --> 00:06:08,551 So the dates match. 99 00:06:13,034 --> 00:06:16,620 Narrator: an inscription At the top of 100 00:06:16,655 --> 00:06:19,517 The monument provides A further clue. 101 00:06:19,551 --> 00:06:23,172 It's written in phrygian, the Ancient language of the area. 102 00:06:24,931 --> 00:06:27,034 Phrygian is not fully known, 103 00:06:27,068 --> 00:06:29,965 But its similarity to Languages like ancient greek 104 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,413 Means it can be understood. 105 00:06:32,448 --> 00:06:34,689 Bennett: What we have is 106 00:06:34,724 --> 00:06:37,689 A declaration of a ruler 107 00:06:37,724 --> 00:06:40,827 Called midas Who's obviously in command 108 00:06:40,862 --> 00:06:43,172 Of this area Called phrygia. 109 00:06:43,206 --> 00:06:45,344 Narrator: this giant Monument proves that 110 00:06:45,379 --> 00:06:48,172 Midas is not A mythological figure. 111 00:06:48,206 --> 00:06:50,000 He's real flesh and blood. 112 00:06:50,034 --> 00:06:56,275 ♪♪ 113 00:06:56,310 --> 00:06:59,586 Brian rose believes Further clues to establishing 114 00:06:59,620 --> 00:07:01,379 The truth behind the tale 115 00:07:01,413 --> 00:07:03,724 May lie in An intriguing connection 116 00:07:03,758 --> 00:07:05,758 Between the monument 117 00:07:05,793 --> 00:07:08,344 And midas's Capital city, gordion. 118 00:07:10,137 --> 00:07:12,344 Rose: the facade of The midas monument 119 00:07:12,379 --> 00:07:14,344 Is covered by Geometric decoration. 120 00:07:15,862 --> 00:07:18,448 We think that it's A reproduction of what 121 00:07:18,482 --> 00:07:19,655 The monumental buildings on 122 00:07:19,689 --> 00:07:22,034 The citadel of gordion would Have looked like during 123 00:07:22,068 --> 00:07:24,310 The reign of midas. 124 00:07:24,344 --> 00:07:26,586 Narrator: the fortified citadel Covers an area 125 00:07:26,620 --> 00:07:28,896 The size of 20 football fields. 126 00:07:30,137 --> 00:07:32,827 Behind its huge gates Are the city's most 127 00:07:32,862 --> 00:07:34,103 Dazzling buildings. 128 00:07:38,655 --> 00:07:40,827 They stand Over 50 feet high. 129 00:07:43,620 --> 00:07:46,586 Striking patterns cover The roofs of the buildings, 130 00:07:46,620 --> 00:07:52,448 ♪♪ 131 00:07:52,482 --> 00:07:55,931 And stunning geometric designs Decorate their fronts. 132 00:07:57,724 --> 00:08:00,724 It's a lavish display Of status, 133 00:08:00,758 --> 00:08:05,379 A way for midas to show off His wealth for all to see. 134 00:08:08,896 --> 00:08:11,827 Under the rule of midas, The kingdom of phrygia 135 00:08:11,862 --> 00:08:15,655 Is successful, Innovative, powerful. 136 00:08:17,344 --> 00:08:20,344 Phrygia features in The greatest epic of the era. 137 00:08:22,344 --> 00:08:24,620 The kingdom is An ally of troy 138 00:08:24,655 --> 00:08:25,724 In the trojan war. 139 00:08:27,241 --> 00:08:29,206 During the reign of midas, Gordion would have been 140 00:08:29,241 --> 00:08:31,379 A truly dazzling city, Built to impress 141 00:08:31,413 --> 00:08:33,482 Any diplomat Or tourists who came here. 142 00:08:34,862 --> 00:08:37,172 Narrator: can gordion's Extraordinary wealth be 143 00:08:37,206 --> 00:08:40,931 The origin of the story Of the golden touch? 144 00:08:40,965 --> 00:08:44,482 Do dozens of colossal mounds Outside the city walls 145 00:08:44,517 --> 00:08:47,931 Reveal more about the truth Behind the midas myth? 146 00:08:59,758 --> 00:09:01,827 Narrator: Gordion, a wealthy city 147 00:09:01,862 --> 00:09:05,000 Ruled by king midas 3,000 years ago. 148 00:09:08,172 --> 00:09:11,724 Gareth darbyshire has been Working at gordion for 20 years, 149 00:09:11,758 --> 00:09:13,827 Searching for The evidence behind 150 00:09:13,862 --> 00:09:16,758 The myth of the man with The golden touch. 151 00:09:16,793 --> 00:09:20,517 He investigates just outside The city walls. 152 00:09:20,551 --> 00:09:25,344 Here, dozens of strange mounds Of earth seem to stand guard. 153 00:09:27,137 --> 00:09:30,586 Surrounding the city on The high ground and along 154 00:09:30,620 --> 00:09:35,517 Ancient routeways are over 120 of these mounds. 155 00:09:35,551 --> 00:09:38,206 They're obviously man-made Because of their shape. 156 00:09:41,034 --> 00:09:42,620 Narrator: They are burial mounds, 157 00:09:42,655 --> 00:09:45,551 The tombs of the elite of Gordion society. 158 00:09:48,724 --> 00:09:51,482 One mound, Visible for miles around, 159 00:09:51,517 --> 00:09:53,206 Dominates all the others. 160 00:09:53,241 --> 00:09:56,275 Darbyshire: This monument is one of 161 00:09:56,310 --> 00:09:58,103 The largest burial mounds In the world. 162 00:10:01,034 --> 00:10:02,827 It's one of The most spectacular discoveries 163 00:10:02,862 --> 00:10:04,793 Of the 20th century. 164 00:10:04,827 --> 00:10:06,965 Narrator: the mound is built By piling high 165 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,586 Hundreds of thousands Of tons of earth. 166 00:10:12,413 --> 00:10:15,586 Experts estimate It takes around 1,000 people 167 00:10:15,620 --> 00:10:17,379 A year and a half to build. 168 00:10:19,068 --> 00:10:23,482 The mound may conceal Important clues about midas, 169 00:10:23,517 --> 00:10:26,724 But excavating it presents A major challenge. 170 00:10:28,896 --> 00:10:32,448 You can't simply just dig into The side of it or on the top. 171 00:10:32,482 --> 00:10:34,241 You need to do it Very carefully. 172 00:10:34,275 --> 00:10:37,448 There's the risk of the entire Mound collapsing in on you. 173 00:10:37,482 --> 00:10:40,379 These kinds of excavations Can kill people. 174 00:10:42,379 --> 00:10:44,103 Narrator: There's another challenge. 175 00:10:44,137 --> 00:10:47,862 The tomb could be anywhere Inside the huge mound, 176 00:10:47,896 --> 00:10:51,965 A strategy to fool Ancient grave robbers. 177 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,655 For archaeologists, It's like trying to 178 00:10:54,689 --> 00:10:56,896 Find a needle in a haystack. 179 00:10:56,931 --> 00:11:01,482 They turn to modern technology For a solution. 180 00:11:01,517 --> 00:11:04,379 Darbyshire: we decided to get An oil prospecting drill, 181 00:11:04,413 --> 00:11:08,103 Which is a very long drillbit, From texas, 182 00:11:08,137 --> 00:11:11,241 Because that instrument Can reach straight from 183 00:11:11,275 --> 00:11:14,793 The top of the mound right Down to the bottom. 184 00:11:14,827 --> 00:11:18,172 Narrator: the drill bores dozens Of holes, probing for the tomb. 185 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:23,172 On the 96th attempt, It hits something solid. 186 00:11:24,482 --> 00:11:26,586 Drilling stops. 187 00:11:26,620 --> 00:11:29,379 Now they have their target, And they start to dig. 188 00:11:31,068 --> 00:11:34,137 Local miners tunnel in From the side. 189 00:11:34,172 --> 00:11:36,896 Excavating from the top Will destroy the mound. 190 00:11:39,172 --> 00:11:41,275 What they find is astonishing. 191 00:11:45,551 --> 00:11:47,517 Hidden beneath the mound, 192 00:11:47,551 --> 00:11:50,413 Under thousands Of tons of earth, 193 00:11:50,448 --> 00:11:54,241 Is a thick clay core Shaped like a dome. 194 00:11:57,172 --> 00:11:59,551 Digging through this layer 195 00:11:59,586 --> 00:12:02,206 Reveals a mysterious Wooden chamber. 196 00:12:04,310 --> 00:12:07,448 Inside, archaeologists come Face-to-face 197 00:12:07,482 --> 00:12:09,000 With the skeleton of a man. 198 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,827 Around him, lavish grave goods Litter the floor. 199 00:12:14,862 --> 00:12:18,758 Who is this man, and why is He surrounded by treasures? 200 00:12:21,896 --> 00:12:24,551 Can this be the tomb Of king midas? 201 00:12:28,206 --> 00:12:30,172 The tomb chamber Lies at the end 202 00:12:30,206 --> 00:12:32,620 Of the 100-foot-long Excavation tunnel. 203 00:12:35,310 --> 00:12:39,000 It's so fragile that It's off limits to visitors. 204 00:12:42,862 --> 00:12:46,068 But gareth is given Rare access. 205 00:12:48,068 --> 00:12:51,448 The tomb is enclosed by A barrier constructed of 206 00:12:51,482 --> 00:12:53,275 Juniper logs. 207 00:12:53,310 --> 00:12:55,862 Darbyshire: the reason There are these enormous, 208 00:12:55,896 --> 00:12:59,448 Very hard juniper logs is To protect the tomb 209 00:12:59,482 --> 00:13:02,965 And its contents From robbing. 210 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:08,000 This protection and the massive Scale of the mound, 211 00:13:09,344 --> 00:13:11,068 It's very similar to The pyramids 212 00:13:11,103 --> 00:13:13,413 Of the egyptian kings Or pharaohs. 213 00:13:13,448 --> 00:13:16,310 [ vocalizing ] 214 00:13:16,344 --> 00:13:19,517 Narrator: sealed inside An airtight mound for nearly 215 00:13:19,551 --> 00:13:23,689 3,000 years, the tomb is Perfectly preserved. 216 00:13:23,724 --> 00:13:27,068 [ vocalizing ] 217 00:13:27,103 --> 00:13:30,172 But is it the right date For midas? 218 00:13:32,310 --> 00:13:36,379 Archaeologists turn to tree Ring dating for an answer. 219 00:13:36,413 --> 00:13:38,620 If they can date The wood in the tomb, 220 00:13:38,655 --> 00:13:42,896 It will provide vital evidence Of who this man is. 221 00:13:42,931 --> 00:13:46,034 Every year, a tree produces A growth ring, a tree ring. 222 00:13:46,068 --> 00:13:49,206 If you still have the bark Preserved, as we do here with 223 00:13:49,241 --> 00:13:51,275 The juniper logs in This tomb, 224 00:13:51,310 --> 00:13:54,724 Then you can calculate The felling date, 225 00:13:54,758 --> 00:13:57,448 The date at which that tree Was cut down and killed. 226 00:13:58,689 --> 00:14:01,758 Taking several samples From these juniper logs, 227 00:14:01,793 --> 00:14:05,034 We counted the tree rings, And they all date 228 00:14:05,068 --> 00:14:06,310 To the same time. 229 00:14:07,551 --> 00:14:10,068 Narrator: the tests allow The archaeologists to date 230 00:14:10,103 --> 00:14:11,689 The construction of the tomb 231 00:14:11,724 --> 00:14:14,827 To the year 740 b.C., 232 00:14:14,862 --> 00:14:17,793 Making this the oldest Standing wooden structure 233 00:14:17,827 --> 00:14:18,862 In the world. 234 00:14:20,310 --> 00:14:24,000 But this date means It cannot be midas. 235 00:14:24,034 --> 00:14:28,068 With the dating about 740 b.C., It's too early to be 236 00:14:28,103 --> 00:14:31,275 King midas -- we know From a syrian record that 237 00:14:31,310 --> 00:14:35,724 Midas was still operational In 709 b.C. 238 00:14:37,103 --> 00:14:40,000 So this tomb cannot Belong to midas. 239 00:14:42,413 --> 00:14:44,689 Narrator: king midas Succeeds to the throne 240 00:14:44,724 --> 00:14:46,655 After the tomb is sealed. 241 00:14:46,689 --> 00:14:49,965 He rules for another 40 years. 242 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:53,827 So whose skeleton Is it in this tomb? 243 00:14:53,862 --> 00:14:55,827 Brian rose investigates. 244 00:14:57,862 --> 00:15:00,413 Experts use The dead man's skull to 245 00:15:00,448 --> 00:15:03,896 Recreate his appearance In plaster and clay. 246 00:15:03,931 --> 00:15:07,482 Brian thinks it can help Identify the man. 247 00:15:07,517 --> 00:15:10,172 Rose: this is The reconstructed face of 248 00:15:10,206 --> 00:15:12,310 The man who was buried In the tomb. 249 00:15:12,344 --> 00:15:14,206 We've analyzed the bones, 250 00:15:14,241 --> 00:15:17,172 And we've determined that The man died between the ages of 251 00:15:17,206 --> 00:15:21,413 60 and 65, which is quite old For the eighth century b.C. 252 00:15:23,448 --> 00:15:25,862 Narrator: on close examination, Brian discovers 253 00:15:25,896 --> 00:15:27,517 There's something unusual 254 00:15:27,551 --> 00:15:29,517 About the shape of The man's skull. 255 00:15:31,620 --> 00:15:34,310 It's been Deliberately elongated, 256 00:15:34,344 --> 00:15:36,517 Probably when He was an infant. 257 00:15:36,551 --> 00:15:40,413 Narrator: the gordion elite bind The heads of their babies so 258 00:15:40,448 --> 00:15:44,482 That the bone permanently Hardens into an unusual shape. 259 00:15:44,517 --> 00:15:47,620 The man's Oddly-shaped skull 260 00:15:47,655 --> 00:15:51,068 And the enormous size Of his burial mound 261 00:15:51,103 --> 00:15:53,344 Enables brian To identify the body. 262 00:15:55,206 --> 00:15:59,310 Our conclusion is that it's Likely the father of midas, 263 00:15:59,344 --> 00:16:01,551 A man whose name was gordias. 264 00:16:03,241 --> 00:16:06,517 Narrator: gordias rules in The mid-eighth century b.C. 265 00:16:06,551 --> 00:16:09,172 His story also enters Into legend. 266 00:16:12,689 --> 00:16:15,724 When an earlier ruler dies Without an heir, 267 00:16:17,827 --> 00:16:19,896 The people Consult the oracle, 268 00:16:22,931 --> 00:16:26,379 Who declares that The next man driving 269 00:16:26,413 --> 00:16:32,000 An ox cart into the city Should be made king. 270 00:16:35,206 --> 00:16:36,965 At that moment, 271 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,896 A peasant steers his ox cart Through the gates. 272 00:16:40,931 --> 00:16:42,068 He is gordias. 273 00:16:45,517 --> 00:16:48,862 The people choose him As their king, 274 00:16:48,896 --> 00:16:52,896 And in his honor, they rename Their city gordion. 275 00:16:54,620 --> 00:16:56,862 When gordias died, his son, Midas, would have 276 00:16:56,896 --> 00:16:59,034 Become king, And even though midas 277 00:16:59,068 --> 00:17:01,758 Wasn't buried in the tomb, 278 00:17:01,793 --> 00:17:05,586 It is very much a midas mound, Because it was the first major 279 00:17:05,620 --> 00:17:08,344 Building project of his reign. 280 00:17:08,379 --> 00:17:11,551 Narrator: So far, only 46 281 00:17:11,586 --> 00:17:13,931 Of the 125 burial mounds 282 00:17:13,965 --> 00:17:15,724 In gordion have Been excavated. 283 00:17:17,137 --> 00:17:20,344 Midas's final resting place Remains to be discovered. 284 00:17:23,413 --> 00:17:25,413 Do further clues To the legend of 285 00:17:25,448 --> 00:17:29,172 King midas still lie In his father's tomb? 286 00:17:29,206 --> 00:17:33,137 Can the remains of A burial shroud unearthed 287 00:17:33,172 --> 00:17:36,620 With his body help separate Fact from fiction? 288 00:17:47,689 --> 00:17:49,448 Narrator: gordion -- 289 00:17:49,482 --> 00:17:52,103 Once the capital of The kingdom of 290 00:17:52,137 --> 00:17:55,586 Phrygia and the home of King midas. 291 00:17:55,620 --> 00:17:58,482 Archaeologists want to know if 292 00:17:58,517 --> 00:18:02,275 The myth of midas's golden touch Is grounded in truth. 293 00:18:02,310 --> 00:18:07,586 ♪♪ 294 00:18:07,620 --> 00:18:09,655 Answers may lie hidden in 295 00:18:09,689 --> 00:18:13,724 The burial mound of Midas's father, gordias. 296 00:18:13,758 --> 00:18:16,206 Locked in the tomb is A treasure trove 297 00:18:16,241 --> 00:18:18,379 Of burial goods that, 298 00:18:18,413 --> 00:18:20,827 When polished, Shine like gold. 299 00:18:24,241 --> 00:18:26,655 Over 150 exquisite objects 300 00:18:26,689 --> 00:18:29,068 Surround the king's body, 301 00:18:29,103 --> 00:18:32,793 And right next to him are Small pieces of fabric, 302 00:18:32,827 --> 00:18:34,655 The fragments Of a burial shroud 303 00:18:36,034 --> 00:18:39,103 That, in its prime, glitters With golden threads. 304 00:18:42,310 --> 00:18:44,724 What can these treasures Tell us about 305 00:18:44,758 --> 00:18:48,517 The origin of the story Of midas's golden touch? 306 00:18:52,068 --> 00:18:54,310 Experts face A daunting challenge 307 00:18:54,344 --> 00:18:57,827 Analyzing what little remains Of the burial shroud. 308 00:18:59,103 --> 00:19:01,172 Darbyshire: just as the body In the burial mound 309 00:19:01,206 --> 00:19:03,655 Had decayed down to just The skeleton, 310 00:19:03,689 --> 00:19:07,103 It turns out that the textile Itself had decayed, 311 00:19:07,137 --> 00:19:10,000 And so what our scientific Team analyzed 312 00:19:10,034 --> 00:19:13,241 Wasn't the textile itself, It was the hardened coating. 313 00:19:14,965 --> 00:19:17,586 Narrator: tests on this coating Reveal the shroud 314 00:19:17,620 --> 00:19:20,137 Is colored by a mineral Called goethite. 315 00:19:22,137 --> 00:19:24,103 Today, it's used to Create yellow 316 00:19:24,137 --> 00:19:26,448 Paint colors like Ochre and sienna. 317 00:19:29,448 --> 00:19:30,896 Darbyshire: So this is goethite. 318 00:19:30,931 --> 00:19:32,862 It's an iron oxide, And you can see 319 00:19:32,896 --> 00:19:36,206 That it has this lovely Golden-yellow color. 320 00:19:36,241 --> 00:19:39,551 We know from analysis of The textiles that the bedding 321 00:19:39,586 --> 00:19:42,206 And probably the shroud on The king's body 322 00:19:42,241 --> 00:19:44,931 Was coated with this pigment. 323 00:19:44,965 --> 00:19:48,344 Narrator: gareth believes that The manufacture of pigment from 324 00:19:48,379 --> 00:19:51,310 This raw iron oxide Is a vital clue 325 00:19:51,344 --> 00:19:54,206 To help explain the origin Of the golden touch. 326 00:19:57,931 --> 00:20:02,275 You heat the ore with formic Acid and urea to 327 00:20:02,310 --> 00:20:04,827 A temperature of about 90 degrees celsius, 328 00:20:04,862 --> 00:20:07,103 And that creates your pigment. 329 00:20:07,137 --> 00:20:10,310 But even just raw, it's still Very hard to get it off 330 00:20:10,344 --> 00:20:12,620 My hands -- It's still not going. 331 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:15,310 Wow. 332 00:20:15,344 --> 00:20:18,448 It's possible, then, that you Could recognize those who are 333 00:20:18,482 --> 00:20:20,275 Involved in the manufacture of 334 00:20:20,310 --> 00:20:22,896 The high-status cloth of The high-status clothing, 335 00:20:22,931 --> 00:20:25,172 Because they're walking around With yellow hands, 336 00:20:25,206 --> 00:20:27,965 And perhaps it is this That gave rise 337 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,689 To the legend of The golden touch. 338 00:20:32,896 --> 00:20:35,000 Narrator: it's one explanation For the myth. 339 00:20:37,620 --> 00:20:40,000 Darbyshire: this wonderful Golden yellow color -- 340 00:20:40,034 --> 00:20:43,413 You can imagine the phrygian Royalty and nobles, 341 00:20:43,448 --> 00:20:46,413 The elite wearing These golden-colored garments. 342 00:20:46,448 --> 00:20:48,517 Narrator: They dress richly 343 00:20:48,551 --> 00:20:51,655 In decorative weaving And embroidery. 344 00:20:51,689 --> 00:20:54,034 The evidence from Ancient texts is 345 00:20:54,068 --> 00:20:57,620 That the phrygians invent Both techniques. 346 00:20:57,655 --> 00:20:59,551 Darbyshire: we're told this By the roman writer, 347 00:20:59,586 --> 00:21:01,000 Pliny the elder, 348 00:21:01,034 --> 00:21:05,000 And also the latin word for Embroiderer is phrygio. 349 00:21:07,206 --> 00:21:09,034 Narrator: King midas and his courtiers 350 00:21:09,068 --> 00:21:10,379 Are enviably rich, 351 00:21:12,689 --> 00:21:14,206 And the funeral of the king is 352 00:21:14,241 --> 00:21:16,310 When that wealth Is most on show. 353 00:21:20,413 --> 00:21:24,068 When the king dies, he lies In state for all to see, 354 00:21:25,793 --> 00:21:27,758 Covered in his golden shroud. 355 00:21:27,793 --> 00:21:31,034 The city's elite, 356 00:21:31,068 --> 00:21:33,586 Colorfully And extravagantly dressed, 357 00:21:33,620 --> 00:21:36,379 Gather for a gala Funerary banquet. 358 00:21:36,413 --> 00:21:38,862 They dine on spicy goat stew 359 00:21:38,896 --> 00:21:42,482 And drink barley beer And honey mead. 360 00:21:42,517 --> 00:21:44,965 Then the king And the remains of 361 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,896 The feast are carefully laid Out inside the wooden tomb. 362 00:21:48,931 --> 00:21:51,137 The tomb is sealed And the body left 363 00:21:51,172 --> 00:21:52,586 To rest for eternity. 364 00:21:54,068 --> 00:21:57,068 Gordion's funeral feasts And the city itself 365 00:21:57,103 --> 00:21:59,793 Are ablaze With gold and color. 366 00:21:59,827 --> 00:22:02,448 Darbyshire: of course, Midas didn't really 367 00:22:02,482 --> 00:22:04,655 Turn things to gold By touching them, 368 00:22:04,689 --> 00:22:08,517 But perhaps this story of The golden touch is really 369 00:22:08,551 --> 00:22:12,827 A metaphor for the fabulous Wealth of the phrygian kings. 370 00:22:14,103 --> 00:22:15,758 Narrator: But could the story be about 371 00:22:15,793 --> 00:22:19,068 More than just gold And untold riches? 372 00:22:19,103 --> 00:22:22,689 Can strange discoveries Beneath the city 373 00:22:22,724 --> 00:22:25,793 Reveal that it's about power And politics, too? 374 00:22:37,551 --> 00:22:39,275 Narrator: gordion, 375 00:22:39,310 --> 00:22:42,655 Once a dazzling city Of golden color. 376 00:22:42,689 --> 00:22:45,620 Now researchers want to know If its king, 377 00:22:45,655 --> 00:22:48,931 Midas, is as greedy As the story says. 378 00:22:48,965 --> 00:22:51,620 Mythology depicts midas 379 00:22:51,655 --> 00:22:57,344 As a -- kind of a nasty, Scary, unpleasant person. 380 00:22:57,379 --> 00:22:59,965 The question is, Was he really like that? 381 00:23:02,517 --> 00:23:05,517 Narrator: what is it about midas That inspires this myth? 382 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:09,517 Could the story conceal A deeper truth 383 00:23:09,551 --> 00:23:11,103 About the king And his rule? 384 00:23:14,827 --> 00:23:17,344 Hidden beneath the ruins of Midas's city 385 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,655 Lie the remains of another That is decades older. 386 00:23:22,689 --> 00:23:26,862 Its layout is almost a carbon Copy of the city above. 387 00:23:26,896 --> 00:23:31,793 In between the two lies A 15-foot-thick layer of clay. 388 00:23:31,827 --> 00:23:35,931 But discoveries in this layer Puzzle archaeologists. 389 00:23:35,965 --> 00:23:39,448 Fragments of pottery, Which date to the bronze age, 390 00:23:39,482 --> 00:23:42,482 Hundreds of years older Than either city. 391 00:23:42,517 --> 00:23:44,586 Why are these ancient shards 392 00:23:44,620 --> 00:23:47,068 Sandwiched between The ruined cities? 393 00:23:50,379 --> 00:23:52,620 And what can they reveal About midas 394 00:23:52,655 --> 00:23:54,344 And the violent world He lives in? 395 00:23:56,965 --> 00:24:00,068 Elif denel has been Studying the ancient 396 00:24:00,103 --> 00:24:02,241 History of the region For two decades. 397 00:24:04,137 --> 00:24:06,620 She believes the pottery Belongs to 398 00:24:06,655 --> 00:24:08,000 A much earlier people, 399 00:24:08,034 --> 00:24:11,827 The hittites, who rule The area centuries before. 400 00:24:11,862 --> 00:24:14,620 They couldn't understand Why the hittite pottery, 401 00:24:14,655 --> 00:24:18,000 Which is several hundred years Earlier than the ninth century 402 00:24:18,034 --> 00:24:20,482 City, over which this Was constructed, 403 00:24:20,517 --> 00:24:21,965 How did it get there? 404 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,965 So archaeologists were like, 405 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,551 Wow, what's going on? 406 00:24:27,586 --> 00:24:30,482 Narrator: elif searches for Answers in the ruins of gordion. 407 00:24:32,206 --> 00:24:34,655 Solving the mystery May shed more light on 408 00:24:34,689 --> 00:24:37,586 The legend of midas And his golden touch. 409 00:24:39,724 --> 00:24:42,000 A destruction layer Provides a clue, 410 00:24:45,379 --> 00:24:49,344 The mark of an enormous Disaster that befalls the city. 411 00:24:49,379 --> 00:24:53,724 We found evidence for A huge, massive fire. 412 00:24:53,758 --> 00:24:59,241 There was burnt bricks, Evidence of burnt beams, 413 00:24:59,275 --> 00:25:03,000 Roofs collapsed, Burnt pottery. 414 00:25:04,448 --> 00:25:06,413 Narrator: In around 800 b.C., 415 00:25:06,448 --> 00:25:08,862 A devastating fire rips Through gordion. 416 00:25:10,655 --> 00:25:12,482 Residents flee For their lives, 417 00:25:12,517 --> 00:25:16,206 Abandoning their homes And belongings. 418 00:25:19,620 --> 00:25:21,827 At first, Archaeologists believe 419 00:25:21,862 --> 00:25:24,620 It's caused by an enemy army Attacking gordion. 420 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:27,137 They, interestingly, 421 00:25:27,172 --> 00:25:29,965 Didn't find Any deceased human beings, 422 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,793 Any remains of people. 423 00:25:32,827 --> 00:25:35,413 Narrator: there's no proof Of fighting in the area. 424 00:25:37,034 --> 00:25:40,551 We know that this wasn't Caused by any conflict now, 425 00:25:40,586 --> 00:25:43,068 Because if there was any Conflict, we would have 426 00:25:43,103 --> 00:25:46,482 Evidence of military activity. 427 00:25:46,517 --> 00:25:50,482 But we don't have any -- any Evidence for that in this area. 428 00:25:50,517 --> 00:25:54,689 Narrator: but in a world of Constant warfare, the city 429 00:25:54,724 --> 00:25:58,586 And its defensive walls Must be rebuilt, and quickly. 430 00:26:00,586 --> 00:26:03,758 The hasty rebuild explains The mystery pottery. 431 00:26:05,241 --> 00:26:08,517 It was most probably That the workers brought 432 00:26:08,551 --> 00:26:12,034 The clay from an area where There were remains of 433 00:26:12,068 --> 00:26:14,620 Hittite people, Hittite settlements. 434 00:26:14,655 --> 00:26:17,793 They scooped up the clay And brought it here 435 00:26:17,827 --> 00:26:21,965 And dumped it on top of The ninth-century settlement. 436 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:24,793 Narrator: as a result, Gordion stands nearly 437 00:26:24,827 --> 00:26:27,310 20 feet higher Than before the fire. 438 00:26:30,517 --> 00:26:32,586 Denel: they did not just Rebuild the city. 439 00:26:32,620 --> 00:26:35,551 They raised the whole city On top of 440 00:26:35,586 --> 00:26:38,517 A platform of 4 to 5 meters high. 441 00:26:40,724 --> 00:26:44,310 Whoever came to the city Could probably 442 00:26:44,344 --> 00:26:49,068 See the city from kilometers, Miles away. 443 00:26:49,103 --> 00:26:51,413 Narrator: gordion is now An immense citadel. 444 00:26:53,793 --> 00:26:55,310 Its defenses are among 445 00:26:55,344 --> 00:26:57,379 The most formidable In the ancient world. 446 00:27:00,275 --> 00:27:02,137 But when midas takes The throne, 447 00:27:02,172 --> 00:27:03,551 The city is under threat. 448 00:27:06,586 --> 00:27:09,275 A rival power threatens Midas's kingdom. 449 00:27:13,448 --> 00:27:16,724 To survive, He needs a golden touch. 450 00:27:22,448 --> 00:27:24,793 To fight the mighty Assyrian empire 451 00:27:24,827 --> 00:27:29,034 To his east, midas forms An alliance with local kings. 452 00:27:32,034 --> 00:27:35,965 But then he signs a peace Treaty with the assyrian ruler 453 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,655 When he becomes Too powerful to oppose. 454 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:45,172 He reaches out To the greek kingdoms 455 00:27:45,206 --> 00:27:48,344 In the west and marries A greek princess, 456 00:27:53,896 --> 00:27:56,448 An alliance that gives Midas's landlocked 457 00:27:56,482 --> 00:27:59,034 Kingdom invaluable access To the sea. 458 00:27:59,068 --> 00:28:05,137 ♪♪ 459 00:28:05,172 --> 00:28:08,379 Elif believes the myth is A metaphor for midas's 460 00:28:08,413 --> 00:28:11,862 Diplomatic skills and his Ability to defend his city. 461 00:28:14,965 --> 00:28:19,206 Denel: if we look at the history Of king midas, 462 00:28:19,241 --> 00:28:22,551 He probably had the golden Touch, because he was building 463 00:28:22,586 --> 00:28:24,413 Up this monumental, 464 00:28:24,448 --> 00:28:27,724 Substantial, amazing city. 465 00:28:27,758 --> 00:28:29,275 Narrator: Gordion reaches the height of 466 00:28:29,310 --> 00:28:31,931 Its power and prestige Under midas. 467 00:28:33,758 --> 00:28:37,551 Legend says he washes away The golden touch in the river. 468 00:28:40,034 --> 00:28:43,000 Could a discovery in The citadel at gordion show 469 00:28:43,034 --> 00:28:45,793 This part of the myth Is also based in truth? 470 00:28:57,310 --> 00:28:59,137 Narrator: King midas's golden touch 471 00:28:59,172 --> 00:29:01,827 May be a metaphor for The wealth of gordion 472 00:29:01,862 --> 00:29:03,655 And his diplomatic skills. 473 00:29:06,965 --> 00:29:10,344 But one final part of the myth Needs more examination. 474 00:29:13,551 --> 00:29:16,620 Grieving because he has turned His daughter to gold, 475 00:29:18,137 --> 00:29:21,862 Midas begs dionysus to relieve Him of the golden curse. 476 00:29:24,586 --> 00:29:28,206 The god tells him to wash In the river pactolus, 477 00:29:28,241 --> 00:29:31,862 And the river runs with gold As the wish flows away. 478 00:29:36,655 --> 00:29:39,758 Clues found in gordion May shine a new light 479 00:29:39,793 --> 00:29:41,827 On this final piece of The legend. 480 00:29:44,310 --> 00:29:47,551 Kerem oguz is An expert in gold. 481 00:29:50,517 --> 00:29:52,448 He wants to see if the river 482 00:29:52,482 --> 00:29:55,000 Pactolus really does Flow with gold 483 00:29:55,034 --> 00:29:56,310 As the myth says. 484 00:29:58,517 --> 00:30:01,103 If the legend is true, Midas washed his hands 485 00:30:01,137 --> 00:30:02,310 Into this river, 486 00:30:02,344 --> 00:30:04,310 Then there should be some gold In this water. 487 00:30:06,793 --> 00:30:09,068 Narrator: kerem needs To collect river sediment 488 00:30:09,103 --> 00:30:12,655 And sift it to look For tiny gold flakes. 489 00:30:12,689 --> 00:30:15,413 In the time of king midas, To retrieve gold, 490 00:30:15,448 --> 00:30:17,103 They used sheepskins. 491 00:30:17,137 --> 00:30:20,068 They put the sheepskin Into the river. 492 00:30:21,172 --> 00:30:25,620 Narrator: the idea is To trap any grains 493 00:30:25,655 --> 00:30:27,379 Of gold that flow Down the river. 494 00:30:30,586 --> 00:30:32,862 After a few months, The sheepskin is taken 495 00:30:32,896 --> 00:30:34,068 Out of the water. 496 00:30:35,896 --> 00:30:38,413 Oguz: they used to put The sheepskin in the sun, 497 00:30:38,448 --> 00:30:43,448 Let it dry, and comb it and Shake it to get the gold out. 498 00:30:45,413 --> 00:30:48,344 Narrator: there's no pure gold In the sheepskin today, 499 00:30:50,344 --> 00:30:53,379 But gold can be found In a different form. 500 00:30:54,931 --> 00:30:57,275 The gold actually is found 501 00:30:57,310 --> 00:31:00,758 In two different combinations In nature. 502 00:31:00,793 --> 00:31:05,896 One is pure gold, And one is called electrum. 503 00:31:05,931 --> 00:31:08,655 Narrator: electrum is A naturally occurring alloy 504 00:31:08,689 --> 00:31:10,103 Of gold and silver, 505 00:31:10,137 --> 00:31:13,000 Known as white gold To the ancient greeks. 506 00:31:17,620 --> 00:31:19,689 Can electrum explain The myth of 507 00:31:19,724 --> 00:31:22,551 Midas ridding himself of The golden touch? 508 00:31:22,586 --> 00:31:28,344 ♪♪ 509 00:31:28,379 --> 00:31:32,172 Answers may lie 200 miles from gordion 510 00:31:32,206 --> 00:31:35,517 In a city through which The river pactolus flows, 511 00:31:37,448 --> 00:31:39,655 Sardis. 512 00:31:39,689 --> 00:31:41,620 Cahill: sardis one of The biggest cities in 513 00:31:41,655 --> 00:31:42,724 The ancient world. 514 00:31:42,758 --> 00:31:45,448 It was famous in greece, For instance, 515 00:31:45,482 --> 00:31:47,724 As the place where you would Go to buy perfumes 516 00:31:47,758 --> 00:31:50,344 And exotic textiles. 517 00:31:51,655 --> 00:31:54,137 Narrator: nick cahill Has studied sardis, 518 00:31:54,172 --> 00:31:57,655 The capital of the kingdom of Lydia, for over 40 years. 519 00:32:00,793 --> 00:32:04,413 Nick believes a world-changing Technology develops here 520 00:32:04,448 --> 00:32:07,413 That explains the final part Of the midas myth. 521 00:32:12,344 --> 00:32:16,137 He uncovers evidence in this Unusual building in sardis. 522 00:32:17,517 --> 00:32:20,793 When this was excavated, We found furnaces, 523 00:32:20,827 --> 00:32:23,586 And in those furnaces Were, uh, 524 00:32:23,620 --> 00:32:25,206 Pieces of cooking pots. 525 00:32:26,689 --> 00:32:29,482 Narrator: ancient people use Carefully measured amounts of 526 00:32:29,517 --> 00:32:32,241 Precious metals to pay for Goods and services. 527 00:32:35,689 --> 00:32:37,931 But nick thinks That using electrum 528 00:32:37,965 --> 00:32:39,586 Gives the lydians a problem. 529 00:32:41,793 --> 00:32:42,793 Cahill: If you're a lydian trader, 530 00:32:42,827 --> 00:32:45,310 It's hard to use This silver-rich gold. 531 00:32:45,344 --> 00:32:48,000 You might get ripped off, Because you don't know how much 532 00:32:48,034 --> 00:32:50,137 Gold and how much silver There is in the metal 533 00:32:50,172 --> 00:32:51,689 You're using to trade For your sheep. 534 00:32:53,068 --> 00:32:55,896 Narrator: a discovery In this building gives clues 535 00:32:55,931 --> 00:32:57,862 To how the lydians Solve the problem. 536 00:32:57,896 --> 00:33:01,344 We found traces of gold foil And other equipment 537 00:33:01,379 --> 00:33:02,896 That makes us think That this area 538 00:33:02,931 --> 00:33:06,172 Was a workshop For separating electrum into 539 00:33:06,206 --> 00:33:07,413 Pure gold and pure silver. 540 00:33:09,931 --> 00:33:12,586 Narrator: lydian metal workers Take raw electrum 541 00:33:12,620 --> 00:33:15,620 And heat it to separate it Into gold and silver. 542 00:33:17,620 --> 00:33:19,448 And from this ancient alchemy, 543 00:33:19,482 --> 00:33:23,689 They create the first known Coins in the western world. 544 00:33:23,724 --> 00:33:26,689 Cahill: this is a replica Of a lydian coin. 545 00:33:26,724 --> 00:33:29,862 It's got a design stamped On the front of it. 546 00:33:29,896 --> 00:33:32,344 And on the back, it's got A couple of punches. 547 00:33:32,379 --> 00:33:36,344 It's got about 55% gold And 45% silver, 548 00:33:36,379 --> 00:33:41,275 And that stamp on it Guarantees to the user 549 00:33:41,310 --> 00:33:43,172 That it has this proportion 550 00:33:43,206 --> 00:33:46,310 Of gold and has A certain value you can 551 00:33:46,344 --> 00:33:47,586 Guarantee by the state. 552 00:33:49,793 --> 00:33:53,172 Narrator: the invention of Coinage with a standard purity 553 00:33:53,206 --> 00:33:56,379 Of gold revolutionizes How we do business. 554 00:33:56,413 --> 00:34:00,724 Lydian people can rely on These hallmarked gold coins, 555 00:34:00,758 --> 00:34:02,724 And so their economy booms. 556 00:34:04,034 --> 00:34:06,068 The invention of coinage And currency 557 00:34:06,103 --> 00:34:08,827 Makes the lydians And their king rich. 558 00:34:10,206 --> 00:34:12,862 You might have heard The expression, rich as croesus, 559 00:34:12,896 --> 00:34:15,689 And croesus was the king Of lydia and becomes synonymous 560 00:34:15,724 --> 00:34:16,827 With just fabulous wealth. 561 00:34:18,413 --> 00:34:21,482 Narrator: another spectacular Discovery in gordion, 562 00:34:21,517 --> 00:34:23,103 Midas's city, 563 00:34:24,724 --> 00:34:27,586 Reveals the impact of This invention of money. 564 00:34:31,103 --> 00:34:35,724 Archaeologists unearth A horde of 45 gold coins. 565 00:34:35,758 --> 00:34:38,482 Their telltale design, 566 00:34:38,517 --> 00:34:41,586 A lion's head, Reveals they are lydian. 567 00:34:43,655 --> 00:34:45,862 Can these coins shed light on 568 00:34:45,896 --> 00:34:47,896 The final part Of the midas myth? 569 00:34:52,586 --> 00:34:56,965 The coins are evidence that The lydians now control gordion. 570 00:34:57,000 --> 00:35:01,413 Cahill: we see the rise of lydia And a new dynasty of kings. 571 00:35:03,551 --> 00:35:07,034 This is what allows them to Conquer western turkey 572 00:35:07,068 --> 00:35:10,517 And also gordion, where we find Those lydian coins. 573 00:35:10,551 --> 00:35:13,379 Narrator: nick believes The story of midas washing away 574 00:35:13,413 --> 00:35:15,517 The golden touch Is really that 575 00:35:15,551 --> 00:35:19,689 Of wealth draining away From gordion to sardis. 576 00:35:19,724 --> 00:35:23,689 Cahill: we have this myth that Midas came to rid himself of 577 00:35:23,724 --> 00:35:25,689 The golden touch, And that he washed 578 00:35:25,724 --> 00:35:27,517 The golden touch Into the river, 579 00:35:27,551 --> 00:35:29,689 Which from then on Ran with gold, 580 00:35:29,724 --> 00:35:31,068 And this might be Something like 581 00:35:31,103 --> 00:35:32,896 A metaphor for the transfer Of power 582 00:35:32,931 --> 00:35:35,862 From gordion to sardis. 583 00:35:35,896 --> 00:35:39,758 Narrator: people once believed The story of midas to be a myth. 584 00:35:39,793 --> 00:35:42,206 Now, new archaeological Evidence shows 585 00:35:42,241 --> 00:35:44,862 That much of it Is grounded in fact. 586 00:35:44,896 --> 00:35:47,965 Can investigators Throw light on another 587 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:49,551 Ancient myth, 588 00:35:49,586 --> 00:35:52,241 The legend of The gordian knot? 589 00:35:52,275 --> 00:35:55,655 And can it reveal the fate of Midas's capital city? 590 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,379 Narrator: The ancient city of gordion -- 591 00:36:09,413 --> 00:36:10,931 3,000 years ago, 592 00:36:10,965 --> 00:36:13,172 This is the home of King midas. 593 00:36:14,655 --> 00:36:17,482 It is a region plagued By constant war, 594 00:36:17,517 --> 00:36:21,000 Fought over by powerful kings And mighty empires. 595 00:36:23,448 --> 00:36:26,655 Now investigators want to know What happens to gordion 596 00:36:26,689 --> 00:36:27,724 After midas. 597 00:36:30,448 --> 00:36:32,551 Scattered among The ruins of gordion, 598 00:36:32,586 --> 00:36:36,551 Archaeologists discover Dozens of bronze arrowheads. 599 00:36:36,586 --> 00:36:40,275 Some of them are embedded In the walls, 600 00:36:40,310 --> 00:36:43,068 And inside the fortress, 601 00:36:43,103 --> 00:36:45,793 The skeletons of soldiers. 602 00:36:45,827 --> 00:36:48,448 Is this evidence of Gordion's destruction? 603 00:36:53,931 --> 00:36:56,724 Brian rose returns To gordion to find out. 604 00:36:58,413 --> 00:37:01,034 A huge construction by The city walls may 605 00:37:01,068 --> 00:37:02,862 Provide answers. 606 00:37:02,896 --> 00:37:06,103 In addition to the many Arrowheads and skeletons of 607 00:37:06,137 --> 00:37:09,724 Soldiers that were found in The excavations of the fort, 608 00:37:09,758 --> 00:37:13,896 We have a giant siege mound Leading up into the fort. 609 00:37:16,862 --> 00:37:20,689 Narrator: a siege mound or ramp Is built by ancient armies 610 00:37:20,724 --> 00:37:24,931 So they can storm their Enemies' city walls. 611 00:37:24,965 --> 00:37:27,862 We have to remember that The fort that you see 612 00:37:27,896 --> 00:37:30,931 Behind me was originally Positioned on 613 00:37:30,965 --> 00:37:33,206 A 12-meter-high platform. 614 00:37:33,241 --> 00:37:35,931 Then you have to restore four Stories above that. 615 00:37:35,965 --> 00:37:37,724 In order to destroy 616 00:37:37,758 --> 00:37:41,068 A fort this high and this Monumental, an enormous 617 00:37:41,103 --> 00:37:43,000 Siege mound would have Been necessary. 618 00:37:45,206 --> 00:37:48,793 Narrator: the mound is about 150 yards in length. 619 00:37:48,827 --> 00:37:52,517 It's built of stones and logs And topped with clay. 620 00:37:56,793 --> 00:37:58,413 Brian wants to know who are 621 00:37:58,448 --> 00:38:00,793 The powerful mystery attackers Building it, 622 00:38:03,965 --> 00:38:05,793 And if their identity Can reveal 623 00:38:05,827 --> 00:38:09,620 The fate of midas's one-time Capital, gordion. 624 00:38:09,655 --> 00:38:14,896 ♪♪ 625 00:38:14,931 --> 00:38:16,310 Rose: when we studied The arrowheads, 626 00:38:16,344 --> 00:38:18,482 We found that they were of A distinctive design, 627 00:38:18,517 --> 00:38:20,379 A distinctive type. 628 00:38:20,413 --> 00:38:23,517 We can associate them With the persians, 629 00:38:23,551 --> 00:38:26,482 And we know that the persians Swept through this area in 630 00:38:26,517 --> 00:38:30,137 The middle of the sixth century B.C., building siege ramps to 631 00:38:30,172 --> 00:38:32,344 Destroy the cities That stood in their path. 632 00:38:35,448 --> 00:38:37,206 Narrator: The persian empire is one of 633 00:38:37,241 --> 00:38:39,103 The most powerful in The ancient world. 634 00:38:40,620 --> 00:38:44,448 In the sixth century b.C., Under cyrus the great, 635 00:38:44,482 --> 00:38:48,034 Its army sweeps across central And western asia, 636 00:38:48,068 --> 00:38:49,620 Taking everything in its path. 637 00:38:54,103 --> 00:38:55,689 Gordion, 638 00:38:55,724 --> 00:38:58,931 Once king midas's Golden city, falls. 639 00:39:03,689 --> 00:39:07,448 Yet gordion's story doesn't end With the persian conquest. 640 00:39:11,482 --> 00:39:16,206 200 years after that, Another army attacks the city. 641 00:39:16,241 --> 00:39:18,172 This army is greek. 642 00:39:18,206 --> 00:39:22,413 It's led by one of the most Famous warriors in history, 643 00:39:22,448 --> 00:39:25,241 Alexander the great. 644 00:39:25,275 --> 00:39:27,689 It will be alexander Who writes 645 00:39:27,724 --> 00:39:29,620 The final chapter In this story. 646 00:39:32,034 --> 00:39:34,551 When midas's father, Gordias, is crowned, 647 00:39:34,586 --> 00:39:37,793 His ox cart is placed In a temple 648 00:39:37,827 --> 00:39:39,827 And tied with A complicated knot. 649 00:39:43,724 --> 00:39:46,275 It's said That whoever unties it 650 00:39:46,310 --> 00:39:48,206 Will rule asia. 651 00:39:50,620 --> 00:39:53,896 Many come to try, But all fail. 652 00:39:53,931 --> 00:39:58,379 Then, in the third Century b.C., 653 00:39:58,413 --> 00:40:00,482 Alexander arrives in the city, 654 00:40:00,517 --> 00:40:02,931 Intent on conquering The persian empire. 655 00:40:06,517 --> 00:40:08,827 Faced with gordian's knot, 656 00:40:08,862 --> 00:40:12,034 Alexander simply draws His sword 657 00:40:12,068 --> 00:40:13,413 And cuts right through it. 658 00:40:15,586 --> 00:40:18,310 He could not unravel it, So he took out his sword 659 00:40:18,344 --> 00:40:19,517 And sliced through it, 660 00:40:19,551 --> 00:40:22,034 Thereby giving rise to The expression cutting 661 00:40:22,068 --> 00:40:24,000 The gordian knot, Finding a fast 662 00:40:24,034 --> 00:40:26,793 And efficient solution To an intractable problem. 663 00:40:28,206 --> 00:40:31,931 Narrator: alexander goes on to Conquer vast swaths of asia, 664 00:40:31,965 --> 00:40:33,965 Just as the prophecy foretold. 665 00:40:36,758 --> 00:40:38,034 People often ask if the story 666 00:40:38,068 --> 00:40:39,827 Of the gordian knot could Be true. 667 00:40:39,862 --> 00:40:42,862 It's told by a number of Ancient greek historians. 668 00:40:42,896 --> 00:40:44,931 The stories are More or less identical, 669 00:40:44,965 --> 00:40:48,482 So we have no reason to doubt That alexander came here, 670 00:40:48,517 --> 00:40:49,862 Found a gordian knot, 671 00:40:49,896 --> 00:40:52,896 Was intent on fulfilling the Prophecy, and cut through it. 672 00:40:56,068 --> 00:40:59,517 Narrator: today, here in turkey, Archaeologists uncover 673 00:40:59,551 --> 00:41:00,965 New evidence that brings 674 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:03,000 The legends of The past to light. 675 00:41:05,517 --> 00:41:08,413 King midas, A ruler who wishes for 676 00:41:08,448 --> 00:41:11,448 Everything he touches To turn to gold. 677 00:41:11,482 --> 00:41:14,862 Now experts have found His capital city, 678 00:41:14,896 --> 00:41:18,206 The huge tomb he builds For his father, 679 00:41:18,241 --> 00:41:20,275 And evidence of His vast wealth. 680 00:41:22,586 --> 00:41:25,068 The story of midas Is more than a myth. 681 00:41:26,586 --> 00:41:30,862 It's based on the true story Of a king with a golden touch. 682 00:41:30,896 --> 00:41:36,103 ♪♪ 683 00:41:36,137 --> 00:41:46,034 ♪♪ 684 00:41:46,068 --> 00:41:56,034 ♪♪ 685 00:41:56,068 --> 00:42:01,068 ♪♪ 54388

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