A stele unearthed last year during construction work in Ereğli, Konya, Central Turkey, went missing soon afterwards. Earlier this month it was rediscovered buried, only to turn out to be a fake.

When the stele was discovered some parts were broken after it was removed from the ground with a caterpillar. It was also cleaned with a plastic brush without regard for any standard archaeological measures. After it went missing, the stele was rediscovered in the garden of a digging company. Examinations have shown that the stele was a fake – it was made out of volcanic pink andesite stone and was covered with a chemical substance to present a historical look. According to the authorities the fake stele was made by taking inspiration from the İvriz Rock Monuments and deliberately painted with a chemical substance to get a yellowish colour like ancient stones.

(after Hurrieyet Daily News)