Why Turkish government turned a blind eye to draining, excavation of Ice Age lake
Turkish authorities allowed an excavation and draining of the 12,000-year-old Fathomless Lake in pursuit of a rumor that there was Roman treasure on the lake bottom. The lake was drained, revealing no treasure.
Why is the Turkish government so desperate that it would go on a treasure hunt at the cost of wiping out a 12,000-year-old lake, one of the natural wonders of the Black Sea region?
On Nov. 6, Turkish public witnessed an unbelievable greed that destroyed an Ice Age lake located in Turkey’s Black Sea city of Gumushane, inflicting irreversible damage to nature.
The story is quite tragic. Two local notables applied to the city’s local authorities for a permit to drain the 12,000-year-old Fathomless Lake to look for Roman treasure. Thanks to their clout, they easily obtained the authorization and drained the lake to begin excavating the bottom, only to find nothing.
When the government stepped in more than a week later, it was too late. The Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization announced the area where the glacial lake is located would be designated as a “protected area” and that the lake would be filled with water again.
