Narince Village: Pullu II and the Early Byzantine Church

Those interested in archaeological sites will find a tangible point of interest in Pullu II, in Narince Village. The archaeological area is located in the Dikilitaş area of Narince, in Bozyazı District and within Dikilitaş Nature Park. Pullu II is registered as a first-degree archaeological site. The area is approximately 6 km from Anamur and approximately 6 km from Bozyazı. These two approximate distances help place the site in relation to the named towns.

An Early Byzantine church in detail

An archaeological study published in 2020 describes the ground plan of the Pullu Church as a basilica with two narthexes and three aisles. A narthex is an entrance hall of a church; the aisles are the longitudinal areas of its interior. This makes the spatial layout understandable even without prior archaeological knowledge. The church measures approximately 27 × 14 m and has a floor made of mosaic panels. Among the Early Byzantine churches of Rough Cilicia, it is considered a distinctive example. The structure and mosaic offer different topics for discussion when planning a trip together: How is a basilica laid out, and what details define a mosaic floor?

Mosaic, dating and excavation finds

The mosaic floor is made of black-and-white tesserae, or small mosaic stones, arranged in geometric designs. It lies 0.85 m below the original floor surface. The study dates the church to Late Antiquity, the 5th to 6th century AD; it was probably built in the first half of the 6th century. Thus, a broader period and a narrower, explicitly probable date are presented side by side. A total of 17 Late Antique coins were found during the two-year excavations. The building, mosaic and coins offer different ways of exploring the history of the site.

Eight interconnected rooms adjoined the north wall of the Pullu Church. Their function and ground plan were investigated through excavations; the findings therefore also include the adjoining architecture. At the end of the excavation season, the area of the mosaic floor in the naos, the main room of the church, was covered with geotextile, a breathable thermal covering and 20 cm of washed sand.

Archaeological sites and the nature park

Another archaeological site is located in Bozyazı District, but outside Narince: only the remains of walls survive at Nagidos, near the summit of a hill close to the coast. With its Early Byzantine church and mosaic, Pullu II represents a different type of archaeological evidence from Nagidos, where the surviving remains are walls. This difference helps distinguish the two sites by their respective archaeological features.

Dikilitaş Nature Park can also be located geographically: the Mersin–Antalya highway (D-400) runs north of the park and provides access to it. As access arrangements may change, check current visiting options if you are planning a visit.

A holiday rental in Narince as a base

If Pullu II is to be the archaeological focus of your stay, you can focus your holiday rental search on Narince: the site is in the Dikilitaş area of Narince. If you also want to include Nagidos, take its location outside Narince, in Bozyazı District, into account when planning. This way, your choice of where to stay reflects the archaeological sites that interest you.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Çivi, Kumkuyu Belediyesi, Tarsus, Kumkuyu, Çeşmeli, Güzeloluk, Altinkum, Tömük

For the broader travel overview: Mersin.