リュキア<ref>ルウィ人の子孫が住んでいた可能性のある地域</ref>では、マリヤはロディアポリスの守護神とされ、多くの資料が残されている<ref>Payne, 2019, p242</ref>。この都市ではウェドレンニと呼ばれ、フェロスではエリユパマと呼ばれた。これは「高貴な者」あるいは「敵を打ち負かす者」のいずれかと思われ、後者の解釈では戦争好きな女神として解釈することができる<ref>Raimond, 2007, p154</ref>。トレバー・R・ブライスは、リュキアのマリヤがそのような役割を担っていたという見解は、クサントスの碑文や、アマゾンとともに戦闘シーンを描いた石棺の蓋からも裏付けられると述べている<ref>Bryce, 1983, p6</ref>。マリヤは、あるイヤマーラの墓碑銘にも記されており、イヤマーラはこの女神の祭司であった可能性がある<ref>Bryce, 1981, p83</ref>。リュキアのいくつかの都市では、マリヤはその土地の天候神トルクカスとともに崇拝されていた<ref>Rutherford, 2020, p330</ref>。
リュキアの伝統では、ギリシャの女神アテーナーはマリヤと類似していると理解されていた<ref>Raimond, 2007, p153。p153</ref>。両者の同化は、もともと政治的な動機があり、リュキアの王朝がギリシャの文化モデルを堅持することを目指したのかもしれない<ref>Raimond, 2007, p154</ref>。
In Lycian tradition the [[Greek goddess]] [[Athena]] was understood as analogous to Maliya. The assimilation of the two might have been originally politically motivated, with a local dynasty aiming to adhere to a Greek cultural model.{{sfn|Raimond|2007|p=154}} An inscription on a silver vase from [[Pithom]] decorated with a depiction of the [[judgment of Paris]] labels an Athena-like goddess as Maliya.{{sfn|Payne|2019|p=242}} The other figures are referred to with [[Lycian language|Lycian]] spellings of their Greek names, Pedrita ([[Aphrodite]]) and Aliχssa (Alexander = [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]]).{{sfn|Bryce|1981|p=84}} It is commonly assumed that the correspondence between Maliya and Athena relied on both goddesses having a ''[[Polias]]'' aspect, but the interpretation of the former's local epithet Wedrenni as "of the city" is now regarded as implausible in the light of discovery of Lycian terms for a city (''teteri'' and ''minna'', rather than ''wedri'', the latter possibly meaning "country") and according to Eric Raimond a possibility is that it relied on analogous warlike function indicated respectively by the titles Eriyupama and Ptoliporthos ("who sacks cities", applied to Athena in the inscription on the [[Xanthian Obelisk]]).{{sfn|Raimond|2007|p=154}} Ian Rhuterford instead assumes the equation might have been based on the influence of [[Rhodes]], where Athena was a commonly worshiped deity (especially in [[Lindos]]), on Lycian culture of the fifth century BCE.{{sfn|Rutherford|2017|p=88}} A second possibility he considers is their shared characters as crafts goddesses.{{sfn|Rutherford|2020|p=332}} Matilde Serangeli, relying on a proposed etymology of Maliya's name, argues the equation might have been based on the connection between the meaning of her name, possibly connected to terms such as "thought" or "mental strength", with Athena's well attested role as a goddess of wisdom.{{sfn|Serangeli|2015|pp=385-386}}
===Lydian attestations===