KanlidivaneKanlıdivane
Sinkhole
~60 m deep, ~200 m across, lined with tombs
Rock Reliefs
Roman-era family portrait of 6 figures in chasm wall
Churches
Multiple early Christian basilicas (4th-6th century)
Ancient Name
Canytelis (Kanytella), in Rough Cilicia
“Kanlidivane demonstrates how ancient communities adapted to dramatic geological features, transforming a natural sinkhole into a sacred and funerary landscape.”
Kanlidivane (ancient Canytelis) is an archaeological site in Cilicia built around a dramatic natural sinkhole, with rock-cut tombs, reliefs, and early Christian churches.
read_wikipedia →overview
Kanlidivane — ancient Canytelis — is one of the most visually dramatic archaeological sites in Turkey, built around an enormous natural sinkhole (obruk) approximately 60 meters deep and 200 meters across. The ancient inhabitants carved tombs, reliefs, and inscriptions directly into the vertical walls of the chasm, while churches and towers were built along its rim. The site lies in the Rough Cilicia (Cilicia Tracheia) region of Mersin province, a landscape of limestone karst where sinkholes are common geological features. The name "Kanlidivane" — "bloody madhouse" in Turkish — derives from local legends about the chasm, though the ancient name Canytelis suggests a more prosaic origin. Rock-cut reliefs on the chasm walls include a remarkable family scene with six figures, considered one of the finest Roman-period rock reliefs in Cilicia. Multiple early Christian churches dating from the 4th-6th centuries CE crown the edges of the sinkhole, including a large basilica. A defensive tower — possibly Hellenistic in origin — guards the northern approach. The surrounding area preserves an extensive ancient settlement with cisterns, olive presses, and agricultural installations that reveal the economic life of this small but prosperous community. The landscape of ancient Rough Cilicia, dotted with dozens of similar small settlements, was a major olive oil producing region in antiquity.
why_it_matters
evidence
evidence_desc
confirmed
2- Inscriptions on tombs and churches provide names and dates confirming occupation from the Hellenistic through Byzantine periods.
- The six-figure family relief on the chasm wall has been dated to the 2nd-3rd century CE based on costume details and stylistic analysis.
inferred
2- Olive press installations surrounding the site suggest the community's economy was based primarily on olive oil production, consistent with the broader Rough Cilician landscape.
- The defensive tower at the sinkhole's edge may have served as a watchtower controlling the approach road, suggesting the site had strategic importance.
debated
1- Whether the sinkhole itself had sacred significance or was simply a convenient geological feature for tomb cutting remains uncertain.
excavation
Mersin Museum survey
Initial archaeological survey documented the rock tombs, reliefs, and churches around the sinkhole perimeter.
Turkish-Italian excavations
Joint excavations focused on the early Christian churches and residential areas, revealing baptisteries and liturgical installations.
Site conservation
Conservation project stabilized the tower and church ruins, improved access paths, and documented the rock-cut reliefs with photogrammetry.
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artifacts
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location
related_sites
sources
- Rough Cilicia: New Historical and Archaeological Approaches — Michael C. Hoff & Rhys F. Townsend (2013)
- The Rock-Cut Tombs of Canytelis — Serra Durugonul (2003)
- Wikipedia — Kanlidivanelink