PHRYGIAN TRACES IN BİLECİK AND VEZIRHAN STELE

This article investigates the Bilecik region, which is located between Mysia, Bithynia and Phrygia in north-western Anatolia, during pre-Hellenistic period, 1st millennium BC. The paper aims at understanding cultural identities of people who inhabited region by interpreting ancient sources, archaeological evidence epigraphic data together. Moreover, it analyses Vezirhan stele stylistically, was found early 1970s. Analogies have shown that reliefs include both eastern western elements has been proposed to be dated end 5th century with Old Phrygian Greek inscriptions Fıranlar stele, another inscription, prove presence region. In addition these, recent data, including Iron Age settlements represented so-called “Phrygian Grey”, imported wares tumuli, evaluated shed light on spread culture, settlement patterns land use When all from evaluated, can understood southern half a part core land. Despite lacking consistent northern part, Phrygians might small rural or lived as nomadic tribes