The Story of Dalyan Kaunos

Modern-day visitors to Dalyan may find it difficult to believe but the city of Kaunos was once a sea port. Over the centuries silt has resulted in it now being 8 km (5 miles) from the Iztuzu Beach and the Mediterranean. The boat journey from Dalyan through the reed beds is a delight in itself yet in its heyday, that trip would mostly have been on the open sea.

Kaunos was on the border between Lycia and Caria, initially independent before becoming part of Caria and then Lycia. It may even have existed as early as the 10th Century BC in some form. In those days the sea went even further inland right across what is now a wonderful lake to the town of Koycegiz.

It began to lose its importance around 200 BC as silt started to change things. As the region dried, the original port became inaccessible. In the Middle Ages, Turkish tribes defeated Caria and finally a malaria epidemic in the 15th Century saw it abandoned completely. However, excavations begun over half a century ago have revealed an important ancient city. Initially Kaunos (Greek), it was later known by its Latin name during Roman times (Caunus).

Mythology states that the city was founded by King Kaunos who was the son of the Carian King Miletus and therefore the grandson of Apollo. As of today, the oldest find here has been dated at least as far back as 9th Century BC. However, the bulk of the finds are much newer, 4th Century BC. Herodotus mentions Kaunos in 546 BC, the Persian invasion. The Persians gradually withdrew and Kaunos joined the Delian League. It traded in salt, fish, resin and mastic among other things. Its prosperity suffered as the Persians returned with Kaunos becoming part of Caria. Alexander’s success led to it becoming part of his empire and subsequently the Roman Empire. You will see plenty of evidence of the Roman presence if you pay a visit.

Its decline began in the 7th Century because of attacks by both Arabs and Turks and that continued for many centuries. Earthquakes have also caused problems over those centuries and gradually the city became over grown, and forgotten about until the middle of the 19th Century. Richard Hoskyn, a Royal Navy surveyor, saw a reference to Kaunos and decided to visit the ruins. Excavations did not follow for another century.