ANTIQUE STRUCTURES IN KAUNOS

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CITY RAMPARTS AND DOORS:  

Apart from the ramparts that surround Acropol, there are also ramparts surrounding the city. The ramparts extend through Balıklar Mountain in the south and southeast, through the smaal fortres in the north and northwest, through Çömlekçi Hill in the west and through the region that overlooks the town of Dalyan in the south. It was built during the antique era but restored in different periods. The height of the ramparts is a few metres at some points. The remnants of the doors inside the ramparts are visible.  

ÇÖMLEKÇİ HILL:  

It’s in the west of the city, opposite the small fortress. It’s claimed that the area between the small fortress and Çömlekçi Hill of the trade harbour was closed by a chain. There are tombs, ramparts, west fortress en west door around the hill. The fortress and the ramparts must belong to the 3^rd century.

THE SMALL FORTRESS:

It’s in the southwest of the harbour. There’s a rampart connection between Acropol and the fortress. There’s a door inside the city ramparts. The rampart wall is polygonal type.  

NECROPOL (Cemetry and Stone Tombs): Like in other antique cities, there is a big cemetry outside the settlement area in Kaunos. Various tombs, which overlook the view, attract the attention. The most striking ones are the monumental rock tombs which belonged to kings and loyal personalities. The stone tombs which were made by carving the high stones are the landmark of Dalyan.

Some ceramic crockeries and other things found in these stone tombs show that the tombs may belong to the IV th century BC. The tombs look like Likya type tombs. The reason of this is the region nearby the Karya-Likya border. We can’t see such stone tombs anywhere except Anatolia.

Especially, we can see the most distinguished stone tombs of the antique cities in the Likya region. In Kaunos which is between Karya and Likya we see Likya type stone tombs. It’s possible to see the most resembling stone tombs in Telmessos (Fethiye). The tombs which look like small temples were built on slopes and it’s difficult to reach them. The tombs overlook the river.

The tombs in Kaunos have great similarities with the other tombs around Telmessos and the monumental stone tombs are believed to belong to King Amnythas in the 4^th century. These tombs are on a slope in Telmessos.  

BATTLE HARBOUR AND DOCKYARD:

Historical documents claim that there were a battle harbour and a dockyard near the Dalyan river of the antique city. The harbour was in the north of Acropolis. Now, it’s completely full with water.

HOUSES:

During the archaeological excavations, at the back of the stoa some house remnants which belong to the early Byzantium Period, were found. The housing area is estimated to extend through south and west from the sacred temple.

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