Kekova – Sunken City of Dolichiste (Simena)
Δολιχίστη · Dolichiste · Kekova Adası · Simena Sunken City
Lycian to Byzantine (Hellenistic 4th c. BCE – 7th c. CE)·Lycian / Greek / Roman / Byzantine·🇹🇷 Antalya Province, Demre (Myra), Lycia, Turkey
About
About Kekova – Sunken City of Dolichiste (Simena)
Lycian coastal town Dolichiste on Kekova Island's southern shore, subsided 1–2 m during 2nd century CE earthquakes (141 and 240 CE) that raised and lowered Lycian coast, leaving walls, stairways, harbour foundations, water cisterns, necropolis sarcophagi straddling waterline, visible through crystal water along ~500 m shoreline. Facing Simena (Kaleköy) castle hill and Teimiussa (Üçağız). Protected since 1990 as Specially Protected Area; diving prohibited, viewed by glass boats, kayak. Photogrammetric 3D mapping confirms two phases: Hellenistic foundation and Roman rebuild.
Why it mattersTextbook example of co-seismic coastal subsidence in Lycia; demonstrates earthquake archaeology paired with harbour geology; gateway to Myra and St. Nicholas traditions.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Extent of Hellenistic harbour mole under silt
- 02Link to Beymelek Lake harbour discovered 2015
Theories
- 01Differential block faulting explains why only south shore subsided while Simena castle hill remained above water
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Hellenistic (4th–3rd c. BCE) on Lycian foundations
- Period
- Lycian to Byzantine (Hellenistic 4th c. BCE – 7th c. CE)
- Culture
- Lycian / Greek / Roman / Byzantine
- Purpose
- Harbour town, trading station and necropolis for Myra hinterland
- Abandoned
- 7th c. CE after Arab raids and further subsidence
- Rediscovered
- Known to antiquarians; surveyed systematically from 1960s (Bean, Harrison), UNESCO coastal survey 2006
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
141 CE
Major Lycian earthquake subsides southern shore
240 CE
Second quake further lowers Dolichiste; harbour unusable
1990
Designated Özel Çevre Koruma Bölgesi (SPAZ) — diving banned
2015–2020
Beymelek Lake & Kekova photogrammetric 3D survey documents Hellenistic mole
On the ground
Structures & features
36.1833° N · 29.8833° E · -2 m · 4 mapped features
Dolichiste Submerged Harbour / Stairways
harbourSubmerged quays and rock-cut stairways descending into sea along 500 m
36.1825° N · 29.8840° ESimena (Kaleköy) Acropolis
castleHilltop fortress and Lycian necropolis opposite Kekova
36.1864° N · 29.8611° ETeimiussa (Üçağız) Ruins
settlementTwin harbour ruins in Üçağız bay
36.1960° N · 29.8500° ELycian Sarcophagi (awash)
necropolisRock sarcophagi half-submerged on shoreline
36.1830° N · 29.8790° E
Gallery