The city is located east of Kaş, on a hill approximately 1 km south of Belenli village. Isinda was an independent settlement that existed since the Dynastic Period. Its Lycian name was probably Isñta. During the Roman period, Isinda was a member of the Lycian League. However, as it was not large enough to possess a vote of its own, it was represented together with Apollonia and Simena in a sympoliteia under the leadership of Aperlai.
In addition to the five pillar tombs identified at Isinda, Wurster (1993) mentions a sixth pillar tomb, though its existence remains uncertain. Another pillar tomb, referred to as PX by Schürr (2015), has also been reported (see below photo). These six pillar tombs, along with several rock-cut tombs bearing Lycian inscriptions, are among the most prominent monuments dating to the Classical Period. Traces of terraces and fortification walls can still be observed on the slopes of the hill.
To the southeast of the acropolis lies a heroon-like tomb, consisting of a rock-cut burial chamber topped by a sarcophagus (now destroyed). No systematic excavation has yet been carried out at the site.
The Isinda Pillar Tomb
One of the pillar tombs in Isinda (P5) is distinguished from the others by the reliefs surrounding its burial chamber. It was discovered by Heberdey and Kalinka in 1895, and the reliefs were cut from the tomb and transferred to the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. These reliefs depict scenes of combat, hunting, and feasting, likely reflecting aspects of the life of the tomb’s owner, who was probably a dynast. The tomb is dated to the 6th century BCE and is considered one of the oldest pillar tombs in Lycia.
References:
Akurgal, E. 1941. Griechische Reliefs des VI. Jahrhunderts aus Lykien, Berlin.
Çevik, N. 2021. Lykia Kitabı: Arkeolojisi, Tarihi ve Kültürüyle Batı Antalya, Türk Tarih Kurumu, Ankara.
Deltour-Levie, C. 1982. Les Piliers Funéraires de Lycie, Louvain-la-Neuve.
Dinç, S. 2008. Hellenizm ve Roma Likyası’nda Sympoliteia’lar, Yayınlanmamış Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Marmara Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İstanbul.
Mendel, G. 1912. Catalogue des sculptures grecques, romaines et byzantines du Musée de Constantinople, Vol. I, Constantinople.
Özhanlı, M. 2002. ‘İsinda Dikme Anıtı’, Adalya 5, 73–106.
Schürr, D. 2015. ‘Beobachtungen an den Grabpfeilern von Isinda,’ Philia 1, 153-165.
Wurster, W. W. 1993. ‘Dynast ohne Palast – Überlegungen zum Wohnbereich lykischer Feudalherren’, in: Akten Lykien II Bd. 2, 27-30.
Image sources:
G. Mendel, 1912
E. Akurgal, 1941
M. Özhanlı, 2002
Tayfun Bilgin, 2022, 2025
Bora Bilgin, 2022, 2023, 2025
Reha Özer, 2023