The city is located to the east of Kaş on a hill 1 km south of Belenli village. Isinda was an independent city that existed since dynastic period. Its Lycian name was probably Isñta. During the Roman Period Isinda was in the Lycian League. However, since Isinda was not large enough to have a vote of its own, it was a represented together with Apollonia and Simena in a sympolitea under the leadership of Aperlai. Six pillar tombs and some rock-cut tombs with Lycian inscriptions are the most noticeable examples of the Classical Period monuments. It is possible to see the traces of the terraces and fortification walls on the slopes of the hill. At the southeast of the acropolis there is a heroon like grave with a sarcophagus (which is demolished today) placed on top of a rock-carved chamber. No excavation work has been carried out in the city yet.
The Isinda Pillar Tomb
One of the pillar tombs in Isinda (P5) is distinguished from the others with the reliefs surrounding its burial chamber. It was found by Heberdey and Kalinka in 1895, and the reliefs around the burial chamber were cut and transferred to the Istanbul Archeology Museum. The reliefs depict combat, hunting and feasting scenes and must reflect on the life of the tomb owner who was probably a dynast. It is dated to the 6th century BCE and is 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.
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.
Image sources:
G. Mendel, 1912
E. Akurgal, 1941
M. Özhanlı, 2002
Tayfun Bilgin, 2022
Bora Bilgin, 2022, 2023
Reha Özer, 2023