It is most likely a dynastic period settlement which is located in the sovereignty area of Kyaneai. The ruins of the settlement are located 6 km northwest of Kyaneai, on the mountain range that separates the small Sarılar plain in the southeast and the large and fertile Kasaba plain in the northwest. Spratt and Forbes are the first to mention the site in written sources. They defined it as Tüse, based on the name given by the local people. The ancient name of the settlement is unknown. According to the tomb inscriptions, Tüse was under the administration of Kyaneai in the Hellenistic period. Findings in the acropolis date back to the archaic period. The Hellenistic and later period settlement is mostly located on the skirts of the acropolis hill which is today called Düzkale Tepe. The castle on the top of the acropolis hill belongs to the dynastic period. Today, almost the entire city is under forest cover, except for the castle bastions at the highest point of the acropolis. The functions of the building remains, except for the city walls, tombs and cisterns, are unclear. It is possible to see different types of graves such as tumulus, pillar tombs, rock-cut tombs, sarcophagi and chamber tombs in and around the settlement. Two pillar tombs and a heroon on the southern skirt of the castle are dated to the late archaic period (second half of the 6th century BCE). The remains of a building on the western side of the castle were identified by Kolb as a dynastic period temple.
References:
Başgelen, N. (ed.) 2005. Lycian Journal 1892 – Ernst Krickl, Archaeology and Art Publication, İstanbul.
Çevik, N. 2021. Lykia Kitabı: Arkeolojisi, Tarihi ve Kültürüyle Batı Antalya, Türk Tarih Kurumu, Ankara.
Hülden, O. 2006. Gräber und Grabtypen im Bergland von Yavu (Zentrallykien): Studien zur antiken Grabkultur in Lykien, Teil I, Habelt, Bonn.
Kolb, F. 2008. Burg – Polis – Bischofssitz. Geschichte der Siedlungskammer von Kyaneai in der Südwesttürkei, Mainz.
Image sources:
N. Başgelen, 2005
O. Hülden, 2006
Ertuğrul Anıl, 2023
Bora Bilgin, 2023
Reha Özer, 2023