The underwater remains known locally as the “Kalimce Ruins” off the coast of Gocek in southwest Turkey have been officially placed under state protection after authorities designated the area as a First-Degree Archaeological Site. Locals applaud this decision, saying it will help protect both cultural heritage and the region’s future development.
The protected area is close to the shoreline of Gocek, a well-liked tourist area in Fethiye. When sea levels drop, submerged buildings can occasionally be seen from land. The Gocek Public Assembly and the Gocek Culture and Tourism Association formally applied to regional cultural heritage authorities before the decision was made.
The site, which the locals refer to as the Kalimce Ruins, was examined by heritage officials before being designated. In order to secure long-term conservation and stop uncontrolled construction, community representatives had fought for recognition.
Gocek’s attractiveness extends beyond its popular seaside tourism, according to Onur Ugan, a board member of the Gocek Culture and Tourism Association. He pointed out that although the region has recently become popular for sailing and coastal excursions, locals who are familiar with the remnants strewn over bays, mountains, and undersea locations have long acknowledged the area’s historical significance.
Ugan claims that safeguarding the location will help prevent unintended development while also enhancing tourism potential. He warned that if nature and history were not preserved together, the area would eventually succumb to overdevelopment.
Newly protected location
The newly protected area, according to locals and researchers, is a part of a larger historical network that spans neighboring coves and islands, such as Yassiclar, Seytanli Island, Hamam Bay, and Tersane Bay, where more remains have been found.
According to Ugan, old maps refer to Gocek as “Skopea Harbor,” indicating that the region was formerly a significant marine hub. Future archaeological research will determine the exact chronology of Kalimce, which is believed to have been an old settlement associated with this port system.
Ancient water canals, cisterns, and village traces are examples of observable remnants that suggest organized habitation in former times, he said. While rock tombs and submerged remnants in Bedri Rahmi Bay are similar to partially sunken ancient landscapes found in other Mediterranean coastal sites, brick-built streams visible in Gobun Bay are thought to be signs of agricultural activities.
Tourism and Archaeological
Locals anticipate that formal archaeological excavation will now proceed; revealing buried and submerged relics and elucidating the settlement’s historical chronology. Ugan referred to southwestern Anatolia as the birthplace of early civilizations, pointing out that the Lycian civilization had previously inhabited the area and probably played a role in its growth as a commercial center structured by island routes and protected bays.
Source: Turkiye Today
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