Pessinus and Its Regional Setting. Volume 1

This is the first of two volumes presenting the results of the Melbourne archaeological project at Pessinus in Central Anatolia. The opening chapters discuss the cult of Cybele, the Great Mother Goddess of Anatolia, Midas, the semi-mythical king of Phrygia and Pessinus, the relationship between them, Midas as seen from Assyrian sources, etc. Three others examine two Anatolian archaeological sites (Dorylaion and Zey) that have yielded comparative material and thus clarified the picture we have of Pessinus. Further chapters focus on Pessinus itself. The final chapter outlines the work of the previous excavators at Pessinus: a team from Ghent University. The volume is dedicated to the memory of the late Prof. Taciser Tufekci Sivas, a contributor to it, who was not only one of the most prominent scholars of Phrygia but also a source of great help and encouragement to the project.