A 2,500-year-old ancient Greek town outside the historical city of Halicarnassus now known as Bodrum, is being sold for 35 million lira (AUD $11 million).
Bargylia, the site that had oftentimes been praised by Hellenistic period geographer Strabo for its noteworthy Temple of Artemis, is nothing more that a block of land for its Turkish owners.
The city has been looted by treasure hunters multiple times with its acropolis, odeon, church and cemetery left in ruins.
According to Turkish newspaper Hürriyet 87-year-old Hüseyin Üçpınar who is one of the land’s owners said that the site can no longer be protected from looters as the adjacent lands are open and being used as olive groves.
Mr Üçpınar noted that he was hoping for the country’s Culture and Tourism Ministry to either nationalise the entire 300-hectare area or to take responsibility for the city before it is completely destroyed.
No official archaeological excavation or research has been conducted at the site ahvalnews.com reports.