The Lycian Federation By David Cunliffe Pointer, B.A.

Welcome to
The Lycian Federation
by David Cunliffe Pointer, B.A.

Revised: 15 Jan 2010

A book by George E. Bean, "Lycian Turkey", written in the fifties and sixties was instrumental in introducing me to the delights of this part of Turkey and I dedicate this project to his memory.

The aim is to record pictorially as many of these sites as are possible. Professor Bean complained how difficult it was to travel in the region as roads were practically non existent and guides were needed to navigate mountain trails. Today there are now two lane highways and bulldozed track ways lead to formerly barely accessible mountain villages.

Rock carving at Arsada, nearly obliterated by village children using it as a slide

However it is this new found accessibility which tourism demands that is leading to the destruction of many of the sites, so it is imperative that an accurate and comprehensive record be made if future archaeologists and historians are to know what the sites looked like.

Turkish museum administrators have realised that it is essential that excavations at the principal tourist attractions are undertaken and one can appreciate the efforts that the Museum authorities have already achieved at Cadyanda, Patara, Xanthos and Letoon. Overseas archaeological units from universities in France, the United States of America and the United Kingdom continue to play an important part in the area as well as institutions like The British Institute of Archaeology in Ankara. The BIAA has an extensive library for which I am grateful for the facilities it affords me in checking through site reports in their archives.

This project will take some time, at present about one third of the sites have been covered. These are mainly in the western area of the Lycian Federation. Over the next few years I will continue this project, probably based in Kas or Kalkan. However if YOU would like to collaborate with me in this project, either here in England or in Turkey, please e-mail me at david@lycianfederation.co.uk. Any assistance will be gratefully acknowledged.

Pillar tomb at Xanthos

Nereid Temple from Xanthos at the British Museum

The end result of this project is the publishing on a CD, (for sale!) of the photographs taken with commentaries about each site so that a comprehensive survey, begun by Professor George E. Bean is widely available to those interested in the Lycian Federation.

My heartfelt gratitude goes to my web master Chris Morris who without his help these last few years none of this project would have seen the light of day.