Unfortunately a dam project here will destroy everything there. The Ilisu Dam construction started already.

Hasankeyf is a archaeological site that dates from bronze age. It was a major military fort on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. Then it became a major town on the silk road and grew into importance during the medieval times when it became the capital of Turkish Artukid Dynasty.

FACTS:

1- Germany, Austria and EU is financing the dam. Great Britain pulled back its support to save antiquity.

2- The money can be spend to built other dam projects on the same river elsewhere, saving this ancient town.

3- The economic life of the dam to be built is estimated only 60 years.

4- The geological rock formation under Hasankeyf is not strong enough for large amounts of water. The dam lake will collapse even those parts that won't be submerged.

5- The archaeological excavations can not be finished in time; these monuments can not be carried elsewhere. All of the monuments and archaeological layers will be destroyed when submerged by water erosion.

6- All of the population (thousands) will have to move elsewhere; they will loose high quality farming land as well.