A few drawings depict warriors engaged in hostile action. Drawing 14 is the most detailed example. In this drawing two warriors stand and face each other with their arms extended towards each other; the figure at the left appears to hold a sword in his right hand, while the figure at the right has a pointed projectile extending from the right hand, presumably also a weapon. Both figures appear to be shown with helmets on their heads, and the right figure’s helmet has a crest indicated on it. The scene strongly suggests a depiction of a confrontation between two armed warriors was intended. Similarly drawing 59 shows two scenes of men facing each other in hostile confrontation. None of the figures appears to be holding weapons, although the right figure of the pair at the far right of 59 wears a sword by his side.39 Instead they raise their fists towards each other as if about to engage in a fist fight. Drawing 81 depicts a simpler version of two individuals fighting. The figures, rendered as virtual stick figures, stand and face each other, with arms extended out towards the opposite figure and the hands of the two figures interlocked, as if in struggle. The figure at the right is both poorly drawn and poorly preserved, so few internal details can be seen, but on the figure at the left we see a belt across the figure’s waist and two fleshy buttocks.
The figures shown wearing the long costume, in 71, 77, 88, and 94, convey a different, more stately impression. Drawings 71, 77, and 94 depict standing males wearing a similar costume, a long gown with voluminous folds indicated by vertical lines (few internal lines are visible in 94); the gown is fastened at the waist by a belt with an elaborate belt buckle (this is shown most clearly on 77). The figure has a flat-topped cylindrical object on his head, probably a type of headdress. The rendering of the head and headdress is often so simplistic that it is difficult to read clearly, but this seems to be some official head covering, such as a crown. In all three of these figures the chin area flows directly into the gown with no indication of a neck, suggesting that the figure had a long flowing beard that hangs over the front of the gown. This feature appears most clearly shown in 77, although in none of the figures is any detail of a beard, such as individual curls, shown. It is difficult to determine if any of these figures is engaged in some activity. The figure in 71 holds one arm, probably the right, back and outstretched; the figure may be holding a weapon such as a spear. The figure in 77 may have the left arm outstretched. No arms are visible on 94.
Drawing 88 also depicts a human figure in a long gown striding to the right. While this drawing lacks the detail of 77, it is clear that the costume, headdress, and pose of this figure are somewhat different from the figures discussed above. There is no belt on the costume, and the only internal detail shown is a vertical fold in the garment’s hem. The large rounded head suggests that a rounded head covering of some kind was intended. The figure’s hair is gathered in a knot at the nape of the neck; it is uncertain whether a beard is indicated. The figure may have one arm extended before him, but no other details are shown.
A small number of scenes with human figures merit particular attention, since they depict subjects not paralleled elsewhere in the drawings. Two examples, 44 and 98, show a male figure walking to the right. In each drawing the figure is holding one arm back and brandishing a weapon, as if about to strike someone or something. On both examples the handle of the weapon is turned so that the mace head is next to the human figure’s head, a potentially awkward position for striking another object. In 98, the figure appears alone and the potential object of the blow is not shown. Drawing 44, however, depicts a more complex scene. Here the male figure wears a short kilt with a fringe and a decorative belt, and has a sword fastened by his side. His left arm, bent forward in front of him, holds the cord of a bag that dangles in front of him; in the bag we see a hare upside down. Traces of another set of hare’s ears and head are visible next to the bag; this is probably part of a trial drawing that was abandoned. The figure holds a weapon, probably a mace or ax, with its right arm. The implication is that the figure is brandishing the weapon as if to strike the hare in the bag.
Drawing 46 also portrays a complex and unusual scene. In this piece the drawing style is considerably simpler, but the scene is nonetheless interesting. Along the left side of the incised surface is a standing male figure facing right. The figure wears a short kilt and has a sword or dagger at his side. Above his head is the flat-topped cylindrical headdress; this appears to be the same headdress as was noted on the figures wearing the long gown, although the crude style of the drawing makes certain identification difficult. The figure’s arms, indicated as single lines, are shown outstretched in opposite directions, the right extended straight out while the left extends back with the elbow bent up. Two birds in flight appear on either side of the figure. The presence of the birds may be co-incidental, since many of the drawings show unrelated figures next to each other. The position of the figure’s arms, however, suggests that he has extended his left arm to attract the bird at right, the direct object of the figure’s gaze. The scene appears to be a depiction of falconry, showing an individual who holds out one arm for the bird to perch on, while with the other arm he swings a lure to attract the bird. Falconry may also be the subject of 19, which shows two birds perched on an outstretched object. The bird at right is clearly a raptor, as indicated by its sharp curved beak, and the object on which it perches may be a human arm with protective covering.40
Drawing 101 also presents an interesting scene, in which a standing figure is shown with the body and face full front. There are no indications of clothing on the figure apart from five horizontal lines across the figure’s waist that probably indicate a type of belt; an object attached to the figure’s left side may be intended as a sword. The figure’s hairstyle is unusual: it is parted in the center and fastened in two braids or ponytails. The arms are outstretched on either side of the body with the left arm bent up at the elbow, and the right arm down, while the legs are in right profile. The legs suggest that the figure is walking to the right, or perhaps running or dancing, since the left leg is kicked up in the air. Drawing 50, shown in profile, also depicts a figure whose arm and leg position suggest that he is moving or dancing. This figure has no internal details to delineate a costume, headdress, or weapons of any kind.
The identity of these human figures is hard to determine. The details of costume, head covering, and weaponry are consistent and detailed enough to suggest that the individuals who drew these scenes had a specific visual model in mind. That model may lie outside Gordion, since the human figures in these drawings present many striking parallels in pose and costume with figures in Neo-Hittite relief sculpture, and parallels for these scenes will be discussed below in Section 3. Yet there also seems to be some interest in connecting these figures with elements of contemporary Phrygian society. This is most evident in depictions of elaborate belts and belt buckles (77 furnishes a good example). The burial tumuli at Gordion have yielded several examples of intricately worked metal belts;41 clearly this was a form of personal adornment that was important to the Phrygians, which may account for its presence in these drawings.
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