The site is located near the village of Yazır, approximately 5 km east of Olympos. The remains of a small settlement situated on a rocky hill are known as Asartaş. Two rock-cut tombs discovered in 1993 on the eastern slope of this hill constitute the best-preserved monuments of the site.
The façade of the northernmost tomb is particularly striking due to its rich ornamentation. Owing to the broken left leg of the relief figure to the right of the entrance, the monument is locally known as Topal Gavur (“the Lame Infidel”). A Greek inscription on the tomb identifies its owner as Apollonios, son of Hellaphilos:
Here I lie dead, Apollonios, son of Hellaphilos.
I lived justly and enjoyed life,
eating, drinking, and taking pleasure.
Greetings to those who pass by.
Another nearby rock-cut tomb is notable for bearing a Lycian inscription (N 335), which represents the easternmost example of a Lycian inscription identified to date. The tomb is also distinguished by its careful craftsmanship and its adherence to the typical Lycian funerary architecture that imitates wooden house construction. Although Lycian cultural dominance in this region appears to have been limited, the presence of such monuments attests to the eastward extent of Lycian cultural influence.
References:
Çevik, N. 2021. Lykia Kitabı: Arkeolojisi, Tarihi ve Kültürüyle Batı Antalya, Türk Tarih Kurumu, Ankara.
Işın, G. 1994. “The Easternmost Rock Tomb in Lycia, Topal Gavur at Asartaş,” Lykia 1, 68–76.
Işın, G. 2011. “Topal Gavur’dan Apollonios’a: Bir Keşif Öyküsü,” Aktüel Arkeoloji, Mart–Nisan, 104–111.
Wörrle, M. 1997. “Die Inschriften am Grab des Apollonios am Asartaş von Yazır in Ostlykien,” Lykia 3, 23–38
Images:
G. Işın, 1994
M. Wörrle, 1997
Bora Bilgin, 2022
Ertuğrul Anıl, 2023