Phrygia, a historic region of central-western Anatolia, was inhabited by the Phrygians, an Indo-European people from the southern Balkans. They migrated to Anatolia between 1200 and 1100 BCE, settling in the vast area between the Halys River and the Aegean coast, with their capital at Gordion. The rise of their kingdom occurred in the 8th century BCE, in a territory that had previously been part of the Hittite Empire.
The Phrygians left a lasting mark in the so-called Phrygian Valley, an area rich in rock formations, stone-carved temples, and monuments dedicated to the cult of the Mother Goddess Kybele. Among the most significant sites are Aslantaş, Maltaş, Kapıkaya, and the ruins of Ayazini — witnesses to a civilization that, though eventually overcome by Cimmerian invasions and later assimilated by the Lydians, Persians, and Romans, continued to speak its language until the 5th century CE.
The Phrygian Valley is also home to the enigmatic cart ruts, mysterious parallel grooves carved into the rock, found in many parts of the Mediterranean. Often interpreted as tracks left by ancient carts, their origin and purpose remain largely unknown.