Page:History of Art in Phrygia, Lydia, Caria and Lycia.djvu/347

 LYCI A, CHAPTER I, THE LYCIANS THEIR COUNTRY, HISTORY, AND RELIGION. THE COUNTRY. LYCIA is a country of Asia Minor, bounded on the south by the Mediterranean, Caria, and the deep gulf now called Macri on the west, Pamphylia and the open roadstead of Adalia on the east. Its line of coast towards the south is nearly as marked as that of Cilicia, Tracheia or the rough, and is constituted by the powerful spurs which Taurus throws out in this direction. Their broad base covers the whole surface of the province, and in antiquity each mount had a particular name. From west to east was, first, Anticragos, which rose high above Telmessus (Macri) ; and Cragos, a mere prolongation of the first, stretching close up to the sea, where it terminated in formidable escarps. Then came Mas- sikytos, some of whose numerous peaks rose far above those of the mountains along the coast, being more than three thousand metres in height, that is to say, the region of everlasting snow. 1 It is now called Ak-Dagh (Mont Blanc), and, like this, is the central knot of the somewhat complicated system of the mountains in which it stands. It is connected with Mount Solyma by the Susuz-Dagh ; but Takalu-Dagh, to the south-westward of the province, in the rear of the ancient site of trading Phaselis, reaches an altitude of two thousand four hundred metres ; further north, the long ridge of Klimax (the " Ladder ") leaves no more than 1 The snow disappears on the southern slopes during the months of July and August, but it remains throughout the year on those looking north.