Some photos of the Ani quarry

[bellthecat]

A wide angle view of the border opposite Ani - all 5 quarries are shown. (Note the position of the medieval bridge over the river to get an idea of how close the quarries are to the ruins.)

 

http://armenianarchitecture.homestead.com/files/quarry1.jpg

 

Close up of the first two quarries:

 

http://armenianarchitecture.homestead.com/files/quarry2.jpg

 

Quarry three:

 

http://armenianarchitecture.homestead.com/files/quarry3.jpg

 

And quarry four:

 

http://armenianarchitecture.homestead.com/files/quarry4.jpg

 

The aftermath of an explosion in quarry three:

 

http://armenianarchitecture.homestead.com/files/quarry5.jpg

[Kazza]

They are very good pictures- you are a very good photographer! I bet you didn't use an instamatic camera for that..

 

[ July 17, 2001: Message edited by: Kazza ]

[bellthecat]

No - an 18 year old manual Contax SLR camera!

But I remember that the camera WAS the most advanced in the world when first on sale, and a magazine said the lens was the best they had ever tested in 80 years of testing lenses. Unfortunately, I think it is now reaching the end of its life and wants to retire to a dark and comfy camera bag.

Steve

PS - when I said "all 5 quarries are shown" I meant "all 4"

[Kazza]

There will always hye of a new, latest, more advanced version of any camera out. I wouldn't bother trying to keep up. As long as it works well. But if it doesn't, don't store it. Either sell it in the loot or bin it.

[ July 17, 2001: Message edited by: Kazza ]

[bellthecat]

Aargg, don't say that - it might be listening and we've been through too much together - remember that dent on its top after it rolled down (ALL the way down) the slope from Sumela monastery, or that sticky residue under one of the dials left when a bottle of fizzy orange exploded next to it in my bag, or the dent on the lens body where I dropped it on the floor of Hagia Sofia, or.....

Steve

PS
Thank's Kazza for the compliment about the photographs.

[bellthecat]

Turkish Daily News

July 10, 2001

 

STONE QUARRIES THREATEN ANI RUINS IN KARS

 

 

Ankara University Armenian Turk Relations Investigation Center

manager assistant professor Erol Kurkcuoglu said, "UNESCO and all of

the world environmental organizations must pay attention to the

Armenian's behaviour."

 

Dynamite used in stone quarries in Armenia are causing harm to the

ruins of Ani and other historical locations in Kars. Georgian,

Armenian and Turkish historical treasures and many others on the

Turkish-Armenian border are being harmed by the stone quarries which

opened between 2000-2001 just 100 meters away from the border.

 

Kurkcuoglu said the Armenian's attitude shows that they are not

considering the possibility of destroying historical treasures.

UNESCO has to take this attitude into account and launch an

initiative to stop the operation of these quarries, he added.

 

The aim of the Armenian's seems to be to put Turkey into difficult

situations in the future. Following this destruction, Turkey will be

accused by Armenia in the international arena, as they were with the

so-called genocide. They are experts at accusing Turkey for

everything they did, said Kurkcuoglu.

 

Would there be the same silence if Turkey had done it?

 

Ataturk University's science and literature faculty history

department chair professor Enver Konukcu said that if Turkey had done

it in such a close area to the historical treasures, it would alarm

the whole world. These treasures do not just belong to the Turkish

people, they should also be saved by other nations.

[bellthecat]

TURKEY TO TAKE MEASURES TO PROTECT ANI RUINS

 

Anadolu News Agency

16 July 2001

 

 

KARS - Environment Minister Fevzi Aytekin said on Saturday that Armenia was

destroying the Ani Ruins on the Turkish Armenian border by exploding

dynamites at the stone quarry close to the border and underlined that Turkey

would take measures to stop the explosions.

Aytekin went to Digor township of the eastern province of Kars which

recently suffered a flood and also visited Brigate Commander Cihangir Aksit

and Kars Mayor Naif Alibeyoglu on Saturday.

 

Alibeyoglu said the flood caused a damage worth of 3.5 trillion Turkish lira

(TL) in the city's infrastructure and asked for Aytekin's help.

 

Aytekin later visited the ancient city of Ani which is composed of

historical ruins belonging to Turks, Georgians, Armenians and a number of

other civilizations.

 

''Armenians are destroying these ruins which belong to the whole world by

exploding dynamites at the stone quarry. I will discuss the matter with the

Culture Minister as soon as I return to Ankara. The government will take

certain measures to stop the explosions,'' he said.

[MJ]

While it is true that the Armenian government has to be blamed for the explosions, the speakers of the previous two articles are full of political crap, obviously.

 

I am still waiting independent confirmation from Armenia whether the explosions still continue.

[bellthecat]

The Armenian government has also to be blamed for giving the speakers of the two articles the excuse to produce them and give them a world stage on which to be read and believed.

But where is this "independent confirmation" going to come from?

[MJ]

From some friends.

[Paul bunyan]

you don't want to mess around with

those psychos in the turk military.

Armenians can't even fish on there

side of the river border between turky and Armenia because of them.

[bellthecat]

Someone told me there was a short paragraph about the quarry in the latest issue of AIM, including a photo of an explosion in the quarry.

 

Steve

[MJ]

The question, I think, is not whether the exlosions have taken place or not. It is obvious that they have. The question is whther they are still going on are stopped as promised.

[bellthecat]

My informant tells me the text is as follows:

 

" The Armenian setlement of Ani Bemza sits just 150 yards across the Akhurian River from the ancient capital of Ani, just inside the Turkish border.

 

In the ancient Armenian Ani, 1000-year-old churches stand in ruins, and collapsing quickly, according to the Turkish government, which complained to UNESCO that Armenians were dynamiting stone quarries on

the Armenian side, just so they could damage the ancient churches on the

Turkish side.

 

The Armenian Foreign Ministry wondered why Turkey had not expressed its concerns to Armenia directly. It had also said that all blasts would cease by May 31st.

 

Ironically, Ejmiatsin is using the stones from the Ani quarries to complete the construction of the new St. Gregory Cathedral in Yerevan."

 

She also added the following words: I couldn't believe the cheek of the Arm. foreign ministry people and their

statement. Since construction of the cathedral is far from over, the blasts will continue for a long time I'm sure.

[bellthecat]

Another example of Armenian selective blindness?

http://www.cnewa.org/cw27%2D4%2Dpp14%2D17.htm

 

The section on Ani has many sentences lifted verbatim from my website. I have no objection to that - the more people that know about Ani the better! What I do object to is the censoring out of any chriticisim of Armenia, specifically the stone quarry. The restorations by Turkey were mentioned, yet what I wrote about the quarry was left out. And not a word about the quarry during the author's visit to the border, although to take those photographs of Ani from the border, the photographer would have been standing right next to the quarry.

 

Steve

[MJ]

Steve,

I think you should send a note to them, if you feel comfortable with the idea.

ies near Ani, my friends consistently tell me that the explosions have been stopped.

[MJ]

Steve,

 

I don't question the sources of my friends. They are mature enough to separate the propaganda from reality, and to check the information they obtain from whatever sources.

[bellthecat]

Well, unless you can tell me how they came by the information I will have the wisdom to chose to disregard that information - and so should you!

I will hear from a credible source in mid September - someone who will actually visit Ani - but I would prefer to know about the situation sooner than that.

Steve

[MJ]

Steve,

Unless you present to me a credible evidence on the opposite, I would rather take my friends' testimony for truth.

I am also not trying to prove you anything, but rather I am trying to define my postion on the subject. Therefore, you can rely on your sources, and I will rely on mine.

[bellthecat]

You have proved to me one thing with your typical racist Armenian attitudes. I would sooner rely on a Turkish source than an anonymous Armenian one - at least they will have a cernal of truth hidden somewhere.

[MJ]

You clearly have some huge chip on your shoulder. Such a pity...

[bellthecat]

You are the one with the chip - you have just said that you will chose to believe your anonymous Armenian pals over eyewitness evidence, for no other reason than your pals have "ian" at the end of their name.

Steve

[MJ]

No, Steve, I don’t. Just think about it over when your mind is clearer.

I definitely would believe my friends of 15 years with whom I have been through water and fire then your "sources," which would provide evidence only in mid September. However, if they provide a contrary evidence, I would go back to my friends and request clarifications. And for your knowledge, my friends' last name doesn't end with "ian."

You may be the best archeologist in the world, you may be the most knowledgeable person on this planet on the subject of the Armenian monuments in Turkey, but definitely you have a huge chip on your shoulder.

[bellthecat]

MJ, It seems that much of what you write has a "see no evil - hear no evil" attitude when it concerns truths you find unacceptable, be they about America or Armenia. I have noticed that in these cases you never back up anything you say with facts.

So - when your anonymous friends with their anonymous information are proved to be anonymous liars, you will "request clarification" from them! Clarification about why they lied!!

And once again you just can't help ending everything with a snide little personal remark that you probably think very clever, but just sounds very immature.

Steve

[MJ]

Steve,

I am not going to exchange insults with you. When you are in better psychological shape, given your level of intelligence, you can figure things on your own. Just reread this thread when you are better positioned to reflect.

My friend may be anonymous to you, but not to me. Meanwhile, the biggest anonymous here is you throughout the existence of this forum.

If talking about facts, my statements require no more facts than yours do. So next time, when you provide backing facts on all the statements that you make, you would be in position to request facts from me.