| Passing
through reed beds, the boats in the ancient city of Caunos nearby Dalyan
take the visitors to Iztuzu Beach, to Dalyan River into which muddy waters
flow. There are rock tombs carved into the rock face of hills close to Dalyan.
These tombs, reused in the period of Romans, are of the 4 th century BC.
Various cultures prevailed consecutively in Caunos. Along with the complete
invasion of Anatolia by the Persians, the city passed into the hands of
Mausolos, and then subjected to the Kingdom of Rhodes, the kingdom of Pergamon,
and Rome, in turn. Among the ruins surrounding the city are a Roman Bath,
city walls from the Persians, a Karian castle, a Greek theatre, and a Byzantine
basilica. Once being an important trade city, Caunos lost its feature of
being a port in the course of time along with the silt up of the sea. The
city of Caunos owed its wealth to the fishing industry. The fish used to
swim up the canal for fresh water to take nourishment, and they used to
be landed easily on their return. Today, the wooden units crossing the river
are used for the same purpose. |
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