limyra in lycia: byzantine/umayyad pottery finds from excavations in the eastern part of the city Joanita vroom introduction in this article i will discuss the post-roman ceramic finds (with an emphasis on ‘dark age’ and early islamic wares) from excavations in the eastern part of limyra on the lycian coast. the excavation of the site has been carried out since 1969 under the direction of prof. Jürgen borchardt, and since 2002 under the direction of dr. thomas marksteiner, both employed at the archaeological institute at the university of vienna (Österreichisches Archäologisches Institut) in austria. i will present here a selection of late antique and byzantine/umayyad ceramic finds from two excavation trenches in the eastern part of limyra. it concerns trenches so 21/1 and so 21/2, which were excavated during the year 1996. the presentation of this material is intended as a contribution to the discussion of the pottery from the so-called ‘dark age period’ in turkey in general, and in lycia in particular 1 . the site limyra is a multi-period site on the lycian coast near the modern port of finike (ancient phoenix). there is evidence of human activity on the site from subgeometric/ archaic onward, as is shown by the presentation of pottery finds with geometric motives from limyra (mainly from sondages 9, 30 and 31) at this table-ronde 2 . the site was apparently inhabited until ottoman times. the site of limyra covers a substantial area which includes an acropolis, several cemeteries and a lower city in the plain of finike. in the lower city the late antique 1. cf. also vroom 200�a. cf. also vroom 200�a. 2. see birgit rückert’s in this volume. see birgit rückert’s in this volume.