Kekova

island that gives its name to the area is in front of the village of Kalekoy and it is accessible by boat. It is a long and narrow island measuring 7,4 km long by 500 m wide, at its section closest to the shore, The deepest point between the island and the shore is 104 m. The island is covered with maquis and red pine trees are found at certain places. Wild olive trees are the most abundant vegetation on the island. The name of the city was "Khawakuwa" in the Luwian/Etruscan language and meant "Land of Sheep Bull". Based on this, it is assumed that a "bull/sheep" cult existed in Kekowa and that it was a shelter and sacred reproduction place for animals such as sheep, bulls and cows, which were considered sacred. The remains of the settlement with the same name as the island are seen on the northern side which faces the mainland. The island sank a few metres in the water during an earthquake in antiquity. The remains of buildings seen under the sea. along the northern shore of the island, confirm this. Following the earthquake, the survivors moved to the sister cities of Simena and Teimiussa on the shore across the island. On the side of the island of Kekova which faces the mainland, one sees the harbour walls, shops, sidewalks and stone steps of the Sunken City. The remnants of the apse of a Byzantine church, apparently built in the 5th century A.D., of square plan and embellished with frescoes are seen on the shore of the Bay of Tersane. SiMENA / OgAGIZ KALEKOY The ancient city of Simena is located on the peninsula right across the island of Kekova, The small fishing village of Kale is situated among the ruins of Simena. The village of Ugagiz, also accessible overland, is 20 kms to the south of the Demre - Ka§ highway. Boat tours are organized to here from Demre/Qayagzi and Kas. The fish restaurants along the shore serve to boat and yacht tourists. The name of Simena appears to be a phonetic variation of "Soamawana" which means "Land of the Great Mother" in the Etruscan/ Luwian language. In one of his books, Stephanos, a Byzantine historian, refers to Simena as Somena. The history of the city dates back to 3000 B.C. After the Trojan War in the 12th century B.C., many Gallipolians who had sided with the Trojan King Hector, appear to have settled in Soamawana. Following the earthquake during which the city of Kekova sank into the sea. the population of Simena increased due to the influx of surviving Kekovans and the city expanded beyond the fortress. The most prominent structure in the area is the fortress. The pointed arches of the towers of the fortress are an architectural feature of the Etruscan/Trak tribe. The main entrance gate of the fortress is rectangular and it is constructed of regularly cut blocks of stone. There are cisterns within the fortress. In addition, there is a small theatre with a seating capacity of 400 and consisting of 8 rows of cavea. This was the smallest theatre in the Lycian region. It may be associated with the male population staying away from home; because they were sailors, they did not need a large theatre. Outside the city walls, overlooking the sea, there is the stoa of the temple of Poseidon. Down towards the shore, the remains of the bathhouse of rectangular plan stand out. The walls of the structure were built using the polygonal wall technique and according to an inscription, it was presented to Emperor Titus. There are more than twenty house-like tombs and they are all carved into rock in the form of doors and windows. Their facades bear inscriptions in the Lycian stating facts about the deceased. Sarcophagi are carved out of rock. Their lids are pointed arched. The ruins of the ancient city of Theimussa are found within the borders of the Ucagiz village. Among the ruins, several towers and various Lycian tombs are the most conspicuous. On the facade of one of the Lycian tombs, there is an inscription of the name of the deceased which was Kluwanimi. This proves that the site was a Luwian/Etruscan settlement and that the settlers were of Luwian origin.