THE 2600-YEAR-OLD ANCIENT TURKISH MONUMENT INSCRIPTION FINALLY SOLVED

It appears that a centuries-old mystery has been resolved. The 2,600-year-old monument known as Arslan Kaya is situated in western Turkey. Archaeologists have long been perplexed by the piece's severely damaged inscription, which translates to "lion rock." The mystery has now been solved by Mark Munn, an archaeology and ancient Greek history professor at Pennsylvania State University.

Munn, who used mid-morning light to decipher the meaning of the carving on this 50-foot-tall structure, published his findings in the journal Kadmos. Only four of the letters were known to him, and shadows at this time of day helped him decipher what was left of the inscription. Munn came up with a theory and then contrasted it with 19th-century photos of the monument.

In addition to other characters used as word dividers in inscriptions, the professor claims that the monument's inscription spells out the word "Materan" in the Old Phrygian language. The mother goddess, protector, and main deity that the Greeks worship is called Materan. The accompanying religious imagery, such as the reliefs of sphinx figures and an image of Materan herself flanked by lions, is one of the primary hints that support his conclusions.

Munn told LiveScience that the Romans referred to her as "Magna Mater," or "Great Mother," while the Greeks recognized her as the Mother of the Gods. The text might have included the name of the person who commissioned it or a message to onlookers requesting the protection of the building, in addition to the dedication to the goddess, which attests to her significance in the area.

Munn's research confirms a long-standing theory about what the inscription said, rather than being a revolutionary discovery. When William Ramsay first found the monument in 1884, it had long been worn down by natural wear and looters.

Given the monument's stylistic features, including its tall, angular letters, Munn's findings also lend credence to the inscription's generally accepted date, which is believed to be between the first half and middle of the sixth century BCE. This corresponds with the splendour of the Lydian Empire's heyday when it co-ruled the area with the Phrygian Empire in eastern Turkey. In the end, this finding might indicate a stronger religious and cultural bond between these two kingdoms.