Olive farmers destroy section of an ancient road

Villagers of Tekeler in Söke district of Turkey’s Aydın Province have destroyed a section of an ancient stone road that once connected the cities of Alinda and Herakleia (Latmos), to make way for their olive groves.

Section of the road (by Hurriyet Daily News)

The villagers are said to have bulldozed four kilometres of the road in an attempt to make room for their olive groves. Members of The Association of Ecosystem Protection and Nature Lovers (EKODOSD) have examined the area with a team consisting of an environmental engineer, archaeologists. The team has detected some parts of the road have been completely destroyed and some parts have been filled. Works have been initiated to bring the ancient road under protection. According to Bahattin Sürücü, president of EKODOSD, the ancient stone road’s construction was at a great expense by the ancient city of Herakleia’s founder Pleistarkhos. The road connected the ancient cities of Myus, Alinda, Alabanda, Tralleis with each other, as well as the Menderes Valley with the Marsyas Valley. He adds that, it is really sad that a road that has survived for 2300 years has been damaged in the last six months

(after Hurriyet Daily News)

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