A two-thousand-year-old lion sculpture at an ancient burial site dating back to the Kingdom of Commagene in Turkey’s Adıyaman province has been destroyed, the Milliyet daily reported on Friday.
The lion sculpture, which was located within the ancient site of the Karakuş Tumulus in Adıyaman, was destroyed by unknown parties who broke the left side of the sculpture. Also, some parts of the sculpture are missing.
Recent incidents in the treatment of historic and natural assets reflect negligence on the part of officials concerning their protection.
Two-thousand-year-old granite columns, discovered in 1996 in Antalya, were recently found in front of a building. The columns were used for decorative purposes until an art history teacher recognized the columns and informed officials.
A historically significant UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Library of Celsus at Ephesus, witnessed a cultural ceremony with images of decorated tables and chairs placed in front of it.
The Rock Sites of Cappadocia, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, which were formed after a geological process of ancient volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, are currently being used as gendarmerie stations.