2,000-year-old Hercules relief damaged

BURSA

An ancient relief engraved on a rock about 2,000 years ago in the northeastern province of Bursa’s İznik district has been damaged by unidentified people.

The Hercules relief carved into a rock to protect those working in a quarry and to fulfill their religious worship had been attacked before.

While Hercules’ wand and beard were previously trimmed, a hole was opened on Hercules’ face with a piercing object this time.

The damage to the Hercules rock relief, whose half-face was finally broken, caused outrage among residents.
The area of the human-size Hercules relief, which is carved into a rock in the Deliklitaş area, eight kilometers from

İznik, was declared a protected area by the Council of Monuments in 1990.

The left arm of the relief was already broken when the object was discovered.

It is claimed that the historical artifacts in İznik, an important center in early Christianity, were destroyed by treasure hunters, according to Demirören News Agency.

İznik residents want area, which is full of garbage, to be protected, it said in the report.

It is claimed that salty and chemical waste from olive processing in the area is also damaging the relief.

İznik, established in 316 B.C. by Antigonius Monophthalmos, became one of the critical cities of Rome.

Historical artifacts in the open-air museum-like town are often attacked by treasure hunters.