Groundbreaking King Midas Exhibit Premieres In Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A groundbreaking new exhibit at the Penn Museum takes us back in time, 3,000 years! It features spectacular artifacts from Turkey that tell the legendary story of King Midas and brings some of his influence into the future.
It's an exclusive world premiere at the Penn Museum, where the exhibition uncovers the Midas mound, where artifacts from the life celebration of King Midas' father were left as party favors for archaeologists.
"When he died people then came from all over the empire to recognize his great reign and see him off into eternity with a funerary feast that would be very special," Patrick McGovern, Penn Museum Archaeochemist, told CBS 3.
The funeral feast occurred 2500 years ago, and while that time may be far behind us, it's what was left behind McGovern then studied to infuse the Midas touch into the future. "We know that there were 100 of these vessels that were found in the tomb and found with the residue of the beverage inside them," McGovern explained. And it's with that residue that the Midas touch brew was born!
And after you're all partied out from this gilded exhibit, be sure to crash in this lush oasis, a Turkish tent built of handmade textiles "The term caravansary in Turkish means... caravan palace, but what it really was for centuries of time was a resting stop," George Jevremobic, President of Material Culture, said. "A motel, if you will, for people 700 years ago."
For more information on the exhibit, check out Penn Museum's website here.