A 12,000-year-old lake in a Turkish town was completely obliterated after an official excavation in search of hidden treasure from the Roman era, according to the Turkish media.

The lake, in the village of Dumanlı in Gümüşhane province, was excavated for five days, yielding no results.

According to a rumor circulating in the village, the assumed treasure belonged to Apollo’s 15th Legion, a Roman troop from 41 to 50 BC.

Experts were angered by the excavation, saying it was destroying the lake by disrupting its thousands-year-old environmental balance, the T24 news website reported.

Local officials gave permission for the excavation, which was conducted under the supervision of the local gendarmerie.