Phrygian table. From Gordion. 8th century BC.

Study in the early 1990s has shown the Gordion furniture to be even more exceptional than had formerly been appreciated. Structural and decorative elements are stylized in an abstract manner, complex symmetry is utilized in the inlaid patterns, two – and three- dimensional concepts can be transposed, and religious symbols can be incorporated into the inlaid designs, attesting to the abilities of the Phrygina cabinetmakers and the seriousness with which the woodworker’s craft was regarded. The furniture of Gordion can now be recognized as the finest collection of ancient Near Eastern wooden furniture that has yet been found, adding immeasurably to our knowledge of furniture in ancient times and the esteem in which it must have been held.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: Prof. Elisabeth Simpson, Gordion Furniture Project (New York, USA).