The Welcome Center Project in the Ancient City of Ephesus was brought to court

The Welcome Center project in the Ancient City of Ephesus, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, was brought to court. Aegean Environment and Culture Platform (EGEÇEP) filed a criminal complaint with the Selçuk Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, alleging that cultural assets were damaged during the work in the first-degree archaeological site.

In the criminal complaint, the managers and officials of Ak Ece Restoration Industry and Trade Limited Company, which carried out the project, violated the Law No. 2863 on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets; It was requested that a public lawsuit be filed against the Selçuk Museum Directorate officials responsible for supervising the construction and the experts of the İzmir No. 1 Cultural Heritage Preservation Regional Board on charges of "abuse of office". EGEÇEP requested that the allegation that the company officials caused the destruction, deterioration or damage of registered protected areas and immovable cultural assets that need to be protected should be investigated within the scope of Article 65 of Law No. 2863. In terms of public officials, the application of Article 257 of the Turkish Penal Code was requested.

EGEÇEP, which previously recalled the lawsuits for the suspension and cancellation of the project, reported that the archaeological works carried out in the region were damaged during the construction of the Ephesus Welcome Center. In the statement, "In the first excavations and researches of the Vedius Gymnasium and its surroundings carried out by the Austrian Archaeological Institute between 1922 and 1929, the non-wall areas to the east, north and west of the Koressos Gate located on the Hellenistic city wall were defined as necropolis, similar to all ancient cities. A significant part of the necropolis in question, located on the plain, remained under the asphalt road built in the 1990s. Vedius was discovered as a result of an illegal excavation report made during the day in 1978." "The excavation work was initiated by the Ephesus Museum in the area of Koressos Port, to the north of the Gymnasium. The excavation was carried out by archaeologist Suzan Bayhan. As a result of the excavation, a marble sarcophagus was unearthed in the tomb with frescoed walls. This work is still exhibited in the courtyard of the Ephesus Museum with the inventory number (1.36.78) and is identified as the Moses Sarcophagus. Unfortunately, we cannot access the plan, map and inventory record showing the find location of this sarcophagus." It was said.

“BASED ON WHAT LAW WAS IT ALLOWED?”

In the statement, it was stated that when the construction of the Ephesus Welcome Center started, many construction machines, diggers, dozers and rollers entered the area. "Until that day, the natural vegetation consisting of maquis, shrubs and a few fig trees, and some walls with stone piles seen in between were literally shaved with these machines. Then, filling started rapidly. It is understood that the archaeological traces on the land were quickly eliminated at this initial stage of construction. As far as can be seen in some photographs we have from the construction site; "It is clearly seen that a plastered building suitable for period masonry was destroyed by heavy machinery. Based on what law and with what permission of the board was a building in the first degree archaeological site destroyed and destroyed? Is this building the burial chamber containing the Moses Sarcophagus with the inventory number (1.36.78), which was excavated and unearthed by the Ephesus Museum in 1978? If not, there is a need for legal and scientific clarification on the subject." was used.

"LET'S FILE A PUBLIC ACTION!"

In the statement calling the authorities to duty, it was stated that "The managers and officials of Ak Ece Restoration San. "We demand that a public lawsuit be filed against the experts of the Regional Conservation Board No. 1, so that they can be punished in accordance with Article 257 of the Turkish Penal Code and the relevant legislation, for abusing their duties."