Idebessos is located at the southwestern end of the Bey Mountains, at an altitude of approximately 1,000 m, about 3 km north-northwest of Akalissos. The site was first identified by Spratt and Forbes in 1842. Idebessos held the status of a polis and was represented in the Lycian League as part of a sympoliteia together with the cities of Akalissos and Korma.
Although the settlement is thought to have earlier origins, the extant remains do not predate the Hellenistic period. To date, no excavations have been conducted at the site; however, detailed surveys were carried out by Akdeniz University in 2000 and 2008.
The urban layout extends across both a west-facing plain and the slopes of a steep hill to the east. The slope settlements are enclosed by fortification walls. Among the identified structures is a small theater, with only seven to eight rows of seating, constructed in the Hellenistic style. Other remains include a small bath building supplied by an aqueduct and a three-aisled basilica dating to the Byzantine period.
The necropolis extends from the south of the bath toward the west of the theater. All sarcophagi in this area date to the Roman period, and some bear inscriptions. The chests of the sarcophagi are generally decorated in the Pisidian style, while their lids are ogival in form, reflecting Lycian influence. No rock-cut tombs have been identified.
References:
Başgelen, N. (ed.) 2005. Lycian Journal 1892 – Ernst Krickl, Archaeology and Art Publication, İstanbul.
Bayburtluoğlu, C. 2004. Lykia, Suna-İnan Kıraç Akdeniz Medeniyetleri Araştırma Enstitüsü, İstanbul.
Çevik, N. 2021. Lykia Kitabı: Arkeolojisi, Tarihi ve Kültürüyle Batı Antalya, Türk Tarih Kurumu, Ankara.
Kızgut, İ., S. Bulut & N. Çevik. 2009. “An East Lycian City: Idebessos,” Adalya XII, 145–172.
Images:
N. Başgelen, 2005
İ. Kızgut et al., 2009
Bora Bilgin, 2023
Tayfun Bilgin, 2023