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The ancient Armenian church of Archesh has emerged from under Lake Van as a result of receding water levels of the lake, Asbarez reported, citing the Agos newspaper, which warned that looters may destroy the fragile structure.

The church is part of the city of Old Archesh, which was submerged underwater in 1841, when the water level of Lake Van rose. However, as a result of the ongoing drought in Turkey, the sunken city has slowly surfaced when the water retreated.

“And now, unfortunately, it is being destroyed by the excavations of treasure hunters. If no precautions are taken, another historical legacy will disappear,” scholar Sedat Ulugana wrote in an in Agos.

The author said that until today, most people have been discussing the structures inside the castle of Old Archesh and the historical mosque, but the church has never been mentioned.

Vandalism and looting are problems for existing Armenian monuments in Turkey because the government is ignoring their upkeep and preservation. This week, the issue of a 500-year-old monastery in Van was the topic of discussion by Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of the Turkish parliament representing the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), who warned that treasure hunters and scavengers were posing a threat to these ancient monuments.