Kanytelis (Kanlıdivane) — Cilician Chasm City
Hellenistic to Byzantine (300 BCE–600 CE)·Olba kingdom then Byzantine·🇹🇷 Mersin Province, Turkey
About
About Kanytelis (Kanlıdivane) — Cilician Chasm City
Kanytelis (Kanlıdivane) — Cilician Chasm City in Mersin Province, Turkey is a Hellenistic to Byzantine (300 BCE–600 CE) ancient-city attributed to Olba kingdom then Byzantine. Chasm city 60 m deep sinkhole with 4 churches, tower, necropolis carved in chasm walls. Keil Kanytelis chasm settlement around doline, Olba tower 2 nd c BCE.
Why it mattersKey Olba kingdom then Byzantine hill site illustrating Anatolian settlement
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Hellenistic urbanism
- 02Lycian federation cult
Theories
- 01Mountain defensive settlement
- 02Sanctuary federation
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 300 BCE
- Period
- Hellenistic to Byzantine (300 BCE–600 CE)
- Culture
- Olba kingdom then Byzantine
- Purpose
- Chasm city 60 m deep sinkhole with 4 churches, tower, necropolis carved in chasm walls
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 300 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1900 CE
Systematic survey
On the ground
Structures & features
36.5300° N · 34.1800° E · 200 m · 3 mapped features
Kanytelis (Kanlıdivane) — Cilician Chasm City — Theatre / Agora
theatrePublic building
36.5302° N · 34.1801° EKanytelis (Kanlıdivane) — Cilician Chasm City — City Walls
wallsEnclosing walls
36.5298° N · 34.1802° EKanytelis (Kanlıdivane) — Cilician Chasm City — Temple Precinct
templeTemple
36.5304° N · 34.1798° E