Kyaneai is situated on a plateau whose rocky northernslope descends precipitously to the plain of Yavu. Although two chippedstone axes have been found in the settlement area itself, prolonged orcontinuous habitation of the site appears to begin in the fifth centuryB.C. At this time, Kyaneai was one, perhaps not even the most significant,of a group of Dynast´s residences in the Yavu mountain region. Thesmall number of Classical remains discovered at Kyaneai seem to substantiatethis interpretation. The Classical material from Kyaneai includes preservedstretches of walls and above all the many lovely reliefs adorning the Lyciansarcophagi (upper left) and a series of imposing decorated rock-cut tombs.In the fourth century, Kyaneai took on a central position within the Yavuregion. It became the center of the polis territory during the Early Hellenisticperiod. The architectural evidence from this period in Kyaneai consistsof, for example, a well-preserved city wall and a theater.

The majority of building remains within the city walls,however, belong to the Roman Imperial period, in particular the secondcentury A.D. The emperor Antoninus Pius was honored, for example, withthe construction of a bath complex (upper right). In addition, citizensin Kyaneai profiled themselves as benefactors and were honored with inscriptions (upper left).

Another structure dated to the Imperial period is the "Stheneleion", a market-hall later turned into a church, which was constructed at thenorthern edge of the Agora. Another impressive architectural monument isthe triple-bayed triumphal arch (poorly preserved) located at the northeasternsection of the city wall.
The true monuments of Kyaneai, however, are perhaps theover 300 Lycian type sarcophagi which encircle the site. The sarcophagi,which appear here in numbers unparalled elsewhere, extend in date fromthe fourth century B.C. to the Roman Imperial period. One of the oldestsarcophagi, the sarcophagus of the Lycian nobleman Khudalije (upper left)is richly decorated with reliefs. The lid is ornamented with reliefs ofa quadriga in what probably depicts a scene from mythology. The majority of sarcophagi from Kyaneai, however, date to the Roman period.
The new buildings constructed in Kyaneai during the Late Roman and Byzantine periods were mainly churches. It was during this period,however, that Kyaneai reached its greatest level of expansion. Reconstructionwork, for example, and a slight outward extension of the city wall involvedthe spoliation of older structures and even entire free-standing tombsand sarcophagi were incorporated into the masonry (bottom right). As asettlement, Kyaneai was abandoned in the fourteenth century A.D. probablydue to the pressure of the advancing Seljuks.