Latmos in Aydın’s Söke is home to a cultural and historical richness thanks to the traces of old settlements in the region. Nature lovers aim to turn this area into a national park.
The struggle to protect natural and cultural resources in the Beşparmak Mountain (Latmos) in the western province of Aydın’s Söke district is continuing.
The Ecosystem Protection and Nature Lovers Association (EKODOSD), which maintains its talks with various ministries for the protection of Latmos, has recently applied to the Milas Museum Directorate for the registration and protection of Ören Asar, one of the ancient sites on the mountain.
Chairman of the association, Bahattin Sürücü said that with the collaboration of institutions affiliated to the ministries of Culture and Tourism and the Forestry and Water Affairs, they were providing support for the protection of natural richness in Latos.
“In the untouched geography of Latmos, we discover lots of pieces and the traces of different ancient settlements. One of them is Ören Asarı, for which we have applied to the Milas Museum Directorate. It should be registered and taken under protection. The region of Ören Asarı is full of natural richness with an interesting geography and a magnificent panorama. Works should start here to unearth the history of past civilizations,” he said.
Calling for the students at architecture and engineering faculties to conduct researches in the area, Sürücü said that human had lived there hundreds of thousands of years ago without spoiling the natural structure. He said that within the last year, the region was pillaged by treasure hunters. “The number of holes and broken ancient stones ancient artifacts considerably increased in the area. Since this settlement is on an untouched and remote geography, treasure hunters give plunder and give it big damage. We have found traps placed in the region by ancient locals to hunt Anatolian leopards (Panthera pardus tuliana). The traps have survived until present day without any damage. But we have examined that treasure hunters plundered it, too,” Sürücü said.
Source Hürriyet