Extravagance and Illness: The Cursed Karun Treasure of the Lydians

A collection of gorgeous artifacts discovered in the Uşak Province in Turkey overwhelmed the world of archaeology, but also caused many troubles. The impressive assemblage of ancient mystical artifacts is also connected with a famous curse.

Lydia was a huge Iron Age kingdom which existed from the 15-14th centuries BC to 545 BC. The Lydians’ language and their culture became strongly related to the Hittites and Luwians. However, most aspects of their culture no longer existed in the 1st century BC. It is difficult to separate many artifacts from other Asia Minor cultures. Therefore, the discoveries of specific hoards related to the people of the Lydian culture are extremely precious. This is especially true if the treasure is comprised of gold and silver and full of artwork.

Some of the beautiful artifacts included in the Lydian/Karun treasure. (T.C UŞAK İLİ RESMİ TANITIM SİTESİ)

Finding an Ancient Treasure

Ahmet Bulbul, who lived in the village of Midiki, Uşak province, worked on the site of the Lydian capital. It was spring 1965 when he realized that it was an ancient place which holds incredible secrets. He told his story to Hurriyet Daily: