Boğazcık – Üçağız
From the entrance to the Boğazcık settlement towards the right side through the Lycian road it is possible to obtain drinking water, food and even accommodation from the village homes. Lycian road goes towards right from the entrance of the village and left from above the hill and goes towards the hill on which Appollonia archaeological settlement is located.
After following the asphalt road at the slopes of the hill on which ruins are located for a short time, it turns right and after descending from stony lands and passing from pathways of red soil among the olives, Aperlai archaeological settlement could be reached. It reaches to the other lagoon at east after going on as parallel to the ruins from red colored fields through a gap between the lagoon northeast of Kekova Island and the lagoon in front of the ruins. From here towards the north hills one could descend from a hill overlooking Kekova and Üçağız after passing some flat areas on which there are large trees and enjoyable pathway.
After reaching to the shores of the lagoon in front of Üçağız, one could reach Üçağız from inside a botanical environment which is very rare even for Mediterranean and among the rocks and from a dream-like road going on parallel to the sea. Tour boats going from Üçağız to Kekova and archaeological settlements in the area could be seen. After seeing the Teimusa archaeological settlement in the center of Üçağız, the road goes on parallel to the sea lagoon towards the east.
By going out of the route marked as Lycian road other archaeological settlements such as Tyinda, Tüse, Oninda, Zagaba, Kyenleai, Korba, Tyberissos, Dolichiste, Karaada can be seen.
APOLLONIA (KILIÇLI)
The name of the city which is located on a small hill is thought to come from chief deity Apollo. They were represented with a league of Simena, Aperlai and Isında and Aperlai as the leader in the Lycian League.
It can be understood from the remains of the city which has reached to this day that in its active life from 5th century B.C. to 5th century A.D.; the city had been present in Lycia, Hellenictic, Roman and Byzantine periods. In Roman Period the importance of Apollonia has decreased by the development of Aperlai and the population shifting towards this city.
The west slope of the thin and rectangular shaped rocky area on which the city founded had been protected by parapets. Classical period acropolis is located at the east of the settlement on a stony hill. At the west side of the castle which then became a Byzantine castle, there is a center with a theater of which 10 steps are visible belonging to Hellenistic period, monumental Heroon, a small bathhouse dated back to 80 A.D. This center had not changed in Byzantine period and churches had been made in here.
The west, south and east of the acropolis are generally rocky and crag. One has to pass the necropolis in which there are sarcophaguses and tombs along the way reaching to city from northeast. Apollonia necropolis has a special place among the Lycian cities with its different tomb architectures. Tombs change between 6th century B.C. local ranked tombs and stone tombs to Roman period Heroon and sarcophaguses. The high number of classical period tombs which are the most authentic tomb types of Lycia proves that the city was important and privileged in the Classical period.
APERLAI
Aperlai is located at the Kekova area, Sıçak Peninsula, at the start of a long and narrow bay and it is a small Lycian port city. Based on the inscriptions found in the area the city was settled between 4th century B.C. and 7th century A.D. The city was founded on a slope near the sea and was damaged in the earthquake of 141, seaside structures were mostly submerged. Even though the works of reconstruction done with the help of Opramoas of Rhodiapolis, it had lost its importance after the earthquakes of 240 and 530 and then deserted after the Arabian raids of 7th century.
It has been mentioned that the name of the city means “flowing channel” and its name was mentioned in Classical age coins as Aprll, in Byantine bishop lists as Aprillai. They were represented in the Lycia League with the league they have created together with Apollonia, İsinda and Simena. It is a settlement which has been surrounded by forts and parapets and in which 1000 people had lived. The ruins are located at the north of the gulf on the slopes of the hill descending towards the sea. Among these the defensive wall starting from the beach and conjoins with the small acropolis on the hill, tower and gate ruins which are still visible, sarcophaguses and tombs are the examples of the ruins preserved until this day.
Earliest remains are the watchtowers belonging to the Hellenistic period. There is a cult of emperor for Tiberius and his wife Livia. The fact that the settlement preserved its importance in Byzantine period could be understood from the existence of 4 churches in the town.
The area which is inside the parapets was heavily settled. Two Roman bathhouses, one inside the city and one outside of parapets, two churches one is in the upper and the other is in the lower city, sarcophaguses over eighty and most of them are from Roman period and having inscriptions are the most important remains. There are murex workshops and warehouses from which valuable purple paint was made in Aperlai such as Andriake. The pier at south of the city, port structures, other structures belonging to city, city parapets and a church and a chapel were submerged gradually as a result of the earthquakes.
KEKOVA ISLAND (DOLİKHİSTE)
The island had never carried the properties of a town just like the two small ports across the island. Rather it was used as a base of shipbuilding and repairing, haven for sailors against Mediterranean like a curtain. The main settlement of the city is located at the western side which is more flat. There are a lot of ruins and a structure of a church belonging to the late period. The natural cove which is named as Tersane bay and used as a port had enabled the connection between the mainland and the settlement. The pier which was built using the natural bay is an organized port settlement which had tone on until Byzantine period from classical period with the structures of cisterns, mooring rings, mooring posts, port structures. At the west of the bay there are structure foundations and cisterns. Port pier and port structures were submerged due to earthquakes. At the south of the bay there is a church which parts of it were submerged bur abscissa of it is still intact.
At the east of the port there is a military watchtower belonging to Classical Period in a point which is overlooking to whole area. The second settlement of the island is located approximately 1km east of the Tersane Bay and created by terracing a slope on the north direction of the island. Among the visible remains are stairs which descends towards the sea level among so many one or two-story buildings and cisterns near to them and churches belonging to late period. Pier structure and port area behind it and its structures were submerged.
THEİMİUSSA (Üçağız Village)
Theimiussa is the single city which could be used the fertile land and which can be reached by land route in Kekova area had been an important place in sea trade starting from 7-6th centuries B.C. and to Late Byzantine period. It has the position of the port of Kyaneai and Tyberissos cities. Today, Üçağız village is located on the ruins of the ancient city.
At the earlier periods the city was founded on a slope and then expanded as a result of sea trade and increase in the population due to it. The shore section belongs to the port and its structures which were submerged due to earthquakes. The settlement has been placed on both sides of the port parallel to the seaside. At the east of the city there is a large necropolis area; a church, a bathhouse and housing area at west.
The grains coming from farming settlements around the city and salted fish produced in the city are among the goods of export. The 4 large salted fish production centers in the city are peerless in Anatolia. Two large churches dating back to 5-6th century are among the important structures.
