Patara – Silted Harbour of the Lycian League Port
Pttara (Lycian) · Pttara · Patara Beach Harbour · Xanthos Port
Iron Age Lycian to Byzantine (800 BCE – 700 CE)·Lycian / Greek / Roman / Byzantine·🇹🇷 Antalya Province, Kaş, Gelemiş, Turkey
About
About Patara – Silted Harbour of the Lycian League Port
Patara was chief port of Lycia and capital of Lycian League, where Xanthos River met sea; today harbour is reed-filled lagoon 600 m inland behind 30 m dunes of Patara Beach (18 km). Basin (400x150 m) protected by 160 m mole and earliest known lighthouse (Neronian, 64 CE) — 26 m tower dedicated by Nero, excavated 2005 by Fahri Isik, with inscription for safe navigation. Harbour silted after 500 CE as Eşen delta prograded and dunes overwhelmed mole; Hadrian granary (131 CE, 75x25 m, largest in Lycia) survives beside basin. Amphora kilns and ship timbers cored under 3 m alluvium. Lycian Stadiasmus Patarensis road map found here.
Why it mattersEarliest Neronian lighthouse surviving; chief Lycian port and League archive site.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether harbour had second outer mole now under dunes
- 02Location of Apollo oracle temple platform near harbour
Theories
- 01Harbour silted 6th c. CE due to deforestation in Xanthos valley
- 02Granary built for Hadrian grain dole to Lycia
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. 800 BCE Lycian Pttara; harbour 6th c. BCE
- Period
- Iron Age Lycian to Byzantine (800 BCE – 700 CE)
- Culture
- Lycian / Greek / Roman / Byzantine
- Builders
- Lycians / Romans (Nero, Hadrian)
- Purpose
- Chief port of Lycia, League capital, granary port for Rome and pilgrimage to Apollo oracle
- Abandoned
- c. 700 CE after delta silting, dunes and Arab raids
- Rediscovered
- 1840 by Charles Fellows
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c. 800 BCE
Lycian Pttara founded at Xanthos mouth
64 CE
Nero lighthouse built (earliest surviving)
131 CE
Hadrian granary built for grain fleet
1840
Fellows records theatre and harbour lagoon
On the ground
Structures & features
36.2610° N · 29.3163° E · 5 m · 3 mapped features
Neronian lighthouse 64 CE
lighthouse26 m Neronian lighthouse re-erected, earliest in Mediterranean
36.2633° N · 29.3081° EHadrian granary 131 CE
warehouse75x25 m vaulted granary beside harbour, largest in Lycia
36.2605° N · 29.3150° ESilted harbour lagoon basin
harbour400x150 m silted basin behind dunes at +5 m
36.2615° N · 29.3180° E
Gallery