Mount Ida from the Iliad to Turkish Folk Beliefs: Some Notes on Its Origin and Mythological Continuity

This study aims to find the origin of Kazdağı, which has an important place in both Greek and Anatolian mythology. Mount Ida had a geopolitical and economic importance for the people of Anatolia in ancient times. The significance of the mountain is also reflected to the myths, epics and the legends. Ancient writers give brief descriptions of the mountain and exemplifies the reasons why it is a holy place. A well-known epic, the Iliad emphasizes the richness of Ida in terms of its natural resources. This richness also enlightens the mythological importance of the mountain. Iliad clearly indicates the importance of Ida in Greek mythology. In Anatolia, Ida is known as “Kazdağı” and there have still been some folk beliefs and legends related to it. The most common of these is Sarıkız, which is extremely famous around Balıkesir and Edremit. Sarıkız, known as a local legend in Turkish culture, is unique as it shows its importance among the local inhabitants of “Kazdağı”. Given the fact that the origin of Ida, whose mythological importance was still kept among Turks, was rooted in Anatolia, it is inevitable to examine the journey from the Iliad to Sarıkız. In this context, the ancient and modern sources are investigated and the data gathered are given in the main part of the study. In conclusion, the article aims to contribute to the researches whose purposes are mainly to compare the Greek and Anatolian cultures in terms of important places. We intend to find out whether there is an interaction between the two cultures and if there has been this intercultural connection, how and in what aspects it is going on in terms of the importance of Mount Ida.