Treasures of Croesus
Located 25 km west of Uşak, near the narrow plain irrigated by the Hermos (Gediz) River north of Güre Village, along the Uşak-İzmir State Highway, lie the tumuli of the Lydian and Greco-Persian periods (6th century BC).
Looting in this area began in 1965 with the illegal excavation of the Toptepe Tumulus. According to statements from the looters, when they entered the burial chamber, they found a silver pitcher and numerous marble alabastrons on the ground, though many were damaged by a fallen beam. Most of the treasure, however, was discovered on the burial bed (kline), alongside a lock of hair and the remains of bones reduced to dust.
Items found in this chamber included:
- A silver oinochoe with human-shaped handles,
- A ladle with a sphinx figure and a golden handle,
- A golden rattle that made noise when shaken,
- Hollow golden earrings with pins,
- Smaller pin earrings,
- A golden brooch shaped like a winged horse,
- A necklace with acorn-shaped pendants made of gold and colored stones,
- A necklace of geometric shapes made from agate and other stones,
- A pair of bracelets made of blue glass with applied lion head designs at the ends,
- A golden tassel-like necklace with stone bead tips.
These artifacts from the Toptepe Tumulus were sold through intermediaries to organized antiquities traffickers.
In 1966, a second looting incident occurred in Güre. Near the village, at a site locally known as "İkizce," a marble block was discovered on the western slope of the İkiztepe Tumulus by a villager. This discovery drew the attention of traffickers aware of the previous year's looting, prompting them to begin illegal excavations at İkiztepe. After locating the burial chamber, the looters blasted its ceiling open with dynamite to gain entry. However, tensions among the group led one disgruntled member to report the operation to the gendarmerie.
Although some artifacts were seized during security operations, a key trafficker escaped after opening fire on law enforcement. He managed to deliver all the artifacts to the same buyer who had purchased the Toptepe Tumulus finds. Those arrested during the operations received various sentences.
After the unrest subsided, the looters returned to İkiztepe and uncovered a second burial chamber. This chamber, however, contained no artifacts. Driven by greed, the looters believed the artifacts might be hidden inside the burial bed (kline) and shattered it. A piece of this kline can still be seen embedded in the wall of a village house as a structural element.
Around the same time, hunters discovered the burial chamber of Aktepe 1 Tumulus. The red, blue, black, and green wall paintings in the tomb were chiseled off along with the decorative feet of the kline and sent to İzmir for sale. The back wall of the burial chamber was vandalized, painted with fake artwork, and pieces were sold to antique dealers.