PESUNUS RUINS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30289, 15 November 1963, Page 22

PESUNUS RUINS

Treasures For Tourists ISTANBUL. Any villager who digs the ground at Pesunus, not far from Eskisehir in central Turkey, will probably turn up a historic piece of marble or stone. Pesunus, in its heyday the Mecca of religious people, is rich in the history and treasures of 10 centuries before Christ. They lie in the stillbeautiful ruins. Cibele, the Mother Goddess of all gods in Asia Minor 3000 years ago, lived in a cave protected by two tigers. Until new religions came with a single god. Pesunus was the religious centre of the world. According to historians, Pesunus was also a place for amusement and ancient rites. During the big spring carnival, human organs were buried in the earth to produce abundant crops. Legend has it that Pesunus was also the place where, for the first time, a meteor struck earth. The stone was moved from Pesunus to Rome when the oracles declared that it would bring good luck to Rome, which was suffering reverses in wars. The removal of the meteor from Pesunus did indeed, the legend says, bring luck to Rome. Thereafter the Romans won many victories. Pesunus suffered iil luck in the form of earthquakes and famine. Steps are being taken to open its ruins for tourists.— Reuter.