This book serves as an excellent guide to learn about and understand the Anatolian region of Lycia. But its mission is well beyond that: Lycia’s culture, history and art are for the first time presented together with its social, political and economic situation during all periods using the examples of 130 cities/settlements. The book contains the author’s offbeat insights and opinions and is written with careful, plain language that not only archaeologists and scholars but a general audience can read with pleasure. The actual goal is to contribute as a whole to the scientific understanding of Lycia; nevertheless, it also aims to discuss archaeology and history by making them understandable so as to pave the way for the protection of its historic trusts.

A distinctive feature of the volume is that it describes in detail Lycia’s main issues such as its history, beliefs, script, art, urbanism, architecture, sources of income and social fabric. But another important feature is that it chronicles  almost all the settlements of the region. The cities situated among these settlements are given in more detail. The lesser known eastern part of Lycia, where the author personally conducted scientific surveys for many years, is particularly presented as foremost.

The author, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Çevik, was the founder-director of comprehensive projects such as the excavations at Myra and Andriake, excavations at and surveys around Rhodiapolis, surveys at Beydağları, the Archaeological Inventory Project for the city of Antalya, and surveys at and around Trebenna. He was also the vice director of excavations at Patara and Tlos. In Eastern Anatolia he conducted research projects on the Urartu. Throughout his scholarly career he had made many significant discoveries. He continues to serve his country, the city of Antalya, and his colleagues and students at the Akdeniz University where he has been teaching since 1993.