Tlos
One of the oldest cities of Lycia, on a rocky height near Saklıkent, known for its rock tombs.
The Turkish name
Tlos
At a glance
- Province
- Muğla, Seydikemer (Yaka)
- Lycian name
- Tlawa
- Excavations
- Since 2005
Read more
This page was written from these sources.
- Tlos ↗Wikipedia · Checked 2026-09-23
The story
Tlos sits on a rocky outcrop above the Eşen valley, near the village of Yaka in Seydikemer, about 4 km from Saklıkent gorge. The Lycians called it Tlawa, and Hittite documents of the 15th century BC mention it as Dalawa. It became one of the six principal cities of the Lycian League.
The slopes below the acropolis are full of Lycian sarcophagi and tombs cut into the rock. The best known, the Tomb of Bellerophon, carries a relief of the legendary hero on his winged horse Pegasus. At the top, an Ottoman fort was built for a local ruler, Kanlı Ali Ağa, on older foundations.
Below the hill are a stadium for about 2,500 spectators, a theatre and Roman baths. Charles Fellows rediscovered the site in 1838, and regular excavations began in 2005.
