The ancient routes and new lycian inscriptions around fethiye

Abstract

The first part of this contribution contains the results of field surveys made in recent years exploring the ancient road network around Fethiye, including the routes between Pinara, Telmessos, Kalynda, Kadyanda, Araxa and Tlos. According to these results, there are two options for the road between Pinara and Telmessos, one through Kabaağaç and Gökben, one over Babadağ. In the article, the second option is suggested for the road recorded in Monumentum Patarense (MP). While the road between Tlos and Telmessos was at first expected to have passed through today’s Seydikemer, the field surveys identified a better option with a course through Çaltıözü, Bozyer ve Esenköy, crossing over an ancient bridge, only a footing-base of which has survived, in today’s Allıkavak. The ancient route between Telmessos and Kalynda mostly follows the modern road between Fethiye and Dalaman, and the localizations of İnlice/Daidala and Şerefler/Kalynda are discussed again. The road between Kadyanda and Telmessos probably led through Eldirek, and the road between Kadyanda and Araxa passed over the ancient bridge in Atlıdere. The route from Kadyanda to Tlos also passed over this bridge and reached Tlos following a course past Kıncılar, Girmeler and Güneşli. Similarly, the road between Araxa and Tlos followed the same route to the south of Atlıdere Bridge. In the second part of the contribution two new Lycian inscriptions are published. One was found at Asarcık (ancient Aloanda) located ca. 7,5 km to the north of Pinara, and the other on the road between Kadyanda and Araxa. The inscription from Aloanda reflects a religious and funerary content. The type of monument cannot be identified with certainty, because half of the stone is missing. The discussion of the inscription has contributions concerning the vocabulary and morphology of the Lycian language. The find spot of the inscription might have been a religious location, because there are no funerary remains from the Lycian period in the spot. It is less likely that inscription has a funerary character, as there was no rock-cut tomb or early sarcophagus at the find spot, though there are several later funerary monuments of these types nearby. The second inscription has the usual content of Inscribed Lycian rock-cut tombs, of which there are many examples. The tomb’s owner cannot be identified for certain, due to the natural erosion of the inscription surface, but the name may be conjectured as be Armazapimi. The owner built the tomb for himself, his wife, his household and for bis mother’s descendants. Besides the regulations for burials, the inscription ends with a closure stating that anyone who violated the burial regulations, should be considered criminally liable to punishment by several Lycian institutions and divinities.