174 - Edwin John Davis: Anatolica, or the Journal of a visit to some of the Ancient Ruined Cities of Caria, Phrygia, Lycia and Pisidia. London, 1874

Edwin John Davis: Anatolica, or the Journal of a visit to some of the Ancient Ruined Cities of Caria, Phrygia, Lycia and Pisidia. London, 1874 First edition, in Quarto, contemporary brown cloth, spine rubbed with marginal loss, text clean and bright, complete 374p. and all the 30 nice lithographs, depicting fine views of Anatolia plus the four maps, one detached but all present, overall in very good condition. A rigorous topographical and archaeological study. J. Davis extended life in the region gave him a distinct advantage over summer travelers; he had a deep understanding of local customs and a professional interest in the early Christian sites of Asia Minor. He was also a trained artist, which is reflected in the high quality of the book's illustrations. This first account focuses on the rugged southern and southwestern interior of Asia Minor, a region that remained difficult to access. He provides detailed journals of his visits to Hierapolis (Pamukkale), Laodicea, and Aphrodisias.His descriptions of Sagalassus and Termessos, of these high-altitude Pisidian cities are particularly valuable,he document the unique rock-cut tombs of Lycia with the eye of an artist. The book contains 30 plates, including tinted lithographs and maps. These are not merely decorative; they serve as a scientific record of monuments, many of which have suffered from erosion or scavenging since his visit. The edition includes two large maps with Davis’s route marked in red, showing the precise topography of the Carian and Phrygian highlands. A fine early archaeological survey of Greek cities in Asia Minor.