A man in northern Lebanon bulldozed one of the most important megalithic burials in the Akkar District, the National News Agency (NNA) reported on Saturday.
The structure that holds incredible historical and archaeological significance dates back over 4,000 years B.C. The man who bulldozed the site containing the burial was quoted by the NNA as saying that he did so to reclaim his land.
He did so despite having received many warnings from activists and people concerned with preserving archaeological and heritage sites in Akkar against tampering with the ancient structure.
Akkar contains numerous megalithic burials and structures that have attracted worldwide attention, including a recently-discovered pyramidal one that raised questions about the origins of the Egyptian Pyramids.
This particular burial, however, is regarded as one of the most important in the region due to it being the only one whose roof was preserved throughout the millennia.
The burial had been a point of interest for archaeologists and people around the world due to its rarity and its cultural and architectural implications with respect to the ancient civilizations that built it.
It is to prevent incidents like the one that wrecked the megalithic burial on Saturday that people have been calling on the authorities to ensure the preservation of Lebanon’s ancient ruins.
