Three of Turkey´s big companies, Borusan, Eczacıbaşı and Doğuş Holding, have established a new foundation for the ancient city of Ephesus. Although excavation works have continued for 150 years, only 15 percent have been uncovered because of financial problems. Culture and Tourism Minister ErtuGrul Gunay told the Hurriyet that the Austrian Archaeology Institute had transferred a fund of 600,000 euros in 2010 for the ancient city. He went on to say, "New excavation areas have been determined in Ephesus. ...the ministry... protects all civilizations in this land and supports excavations." Ephesus, located in Turkey´s Aegean province of Izmir´s Selcuk town, is one of the biggest cultural and historic sites not only in Turkey but in the world. Ephesus had a population of more than 250,000 in the 1st century BC, which also made it the second largest city in the world. The city was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BCE), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The temple was destroyed in 401 CE by a mob led by St. John Chrysostom. Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia that are cited in the Book of Revelation. The Gospel of John may have been written here. It is also the site of a large gladiators´ graveyard. The area was already inhabited 6000 BCE. The importance of the city as a commercial center declined as the harbor was slowly silted up by the river lesser Menderes despite repeated dredging during the city´s history. Today, the harbor is 3 miles inland. Two million tourists a year visit Ephesus. The revenue from ticket sales reaches $27 million a year. The Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry is financing the cleaning and security of the region to the tune of $1.4 million a year but not the excavations. This is the major reason why only 15 percent of the ancient city has been uncovered during the 150 years of excavation. See more: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ More on Ephesus is at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus
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