Quarry workers ‘erasing history’ in Antalya (Turkey) with soap, sponge

1/2. DHA Photos

At an annual conference organized by the Antalya Chamber of Industrialists and Businessmen (ANSİAD), archaeologist Professor Havva İşkan Işık said stone quarries have been given permission to mine Mount Latmos and workers are trying to erase historical paintings dating back 6,000 years in order to facilitate mining.

Making a presentation at the conference, Mediterranean University academic Işık said hundreds of ancient rock paintings depicting spring feasts and wedding ceremonies were first discovered by a German archaeologist next to the Bafa Lake on Mount Latmos.

“We are losing this unique heritage because large stone quarries have been given permission to mine on Mount Latmos. Those who are working in these quarries are destroying these paintings with soap, sponge and emery in order to remove the restrictions brought about by the ‘archaeological site’ label. They should get death sentences just like child rapists and violent criminals. Humanism can be a very dangerous tool in the hands of bad people,” Işık stated. [...] hurriyetdailynews.com / Link 2