海角大神

Islamic State takes over ancient Syrian cultural site. Destruction ahead?

Islamic State militants have a history of destroying ancient cultural sites, which they see as idolatrous. On Thursday, IS took control of Palmyra, Syria, one of the most significant sites in the Middle East dating back thousands of years.

As Islamic State militants extend and tighten their grip on growing portions of Iraq and Syria, they鈥檙e targeting not only cities, villages, and the forces opposing them but historical and cultural treasures dating back to King Solomon, ancient Persia, and Greco-Roman times.

On Thursday, that included the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, where government forces were sent scurrying back toward Damascus and yet more Syrian refugees were forced to flee. Beyond the human tragedy is the potential for destruction in 鈥渙ne of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world 鈥� testament to the unique aesthetic achievement of a wealthy caravan oasis.鈥�

鈥淚 am deeply concerned by the situation at the听site of Palmyra,鈥� Irina Bokova, director-general of UNESCO, said in a statement. 鈥淭he fighting is putting at risk one of the most significant sites in the Middle East, and its civilian population.鈥�

ISIS control of Palmyra has sent shockwaves through the archaeological community, says听Carol Meyers, professor emeritus of religion at Duke University in Durham, N.C.

"At risk are the magnificent structures visible above ground and also the untold numbers of invaluable artifacts that lie unexcavated beneath the surface, ripe for plucking by plunderers who would sell them to fund ISIS operations,鈥� she warns.
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"The city goes back to biblical times, and it is mentioned in the Bible as a site fortified by King Solomon. Its prominence as a desert oasis meant that by Greco-Roman times, it became in important part of the east-west trade route of the ancient world,鈥� Professor Meyers said, in a statement, Thursday. "Its interaction with the major powers of that time are evident in its material remains, which show a successful blending of Semitic, Roman and Persian cultures."

The听Islamic听State听has been increasing its hold on large portions of Iraq and Syria. The Sunni extremist group has been campaigning to purge听ancient听relics they say promote idolatry that violates their fundamentalist interpretation of听Islamic听law. A video released in March shows them smashing artifacts in the Mosul museum. In January, the group burned hundreds of books from the Mosul library and Mosul University, including many rare manuscripts.

UNESCO recently condemned the bulldozing of cultural sites in Nimrud, Iraq听鈥� the biblical city of Kalhu in Nineveh province 鈥撎齛 city founded more than 3,300 years ago as one of the capitals of the Assyrian Empire and known for its frescoes.

鈥淭his is yet another attack against the Iraqi people, reminding us that nothing is safe from the cultural cleansing underway in the country,鈥� UNESCO Director General Bokova . 鈥淭he deliberate destruction of cultural heritage constitutes a war crime.鈥�

鈥淭hey are not destroying our present life, or only taking the villages, churches, and homes, or erasing our future 鈥� they want to erase our culture, past and civilization,鈥� Habib Afram, the president of the Syriac League of Lebanon, , adding that Islamic State actions were reminiscent of the Mongol invasion of the Middle East.

Some officials estimate that ISIS derives income from the sale of more than $200 million a year in looted antiquities, Monitor correspondent Jane Arraf reported from Irbil, Iraq, last November. Interpol听and antiquities authorities have been taking steps to halt a lucrative trade in the smuggled artifacts of these ancient civilizations.

To some observers, Islamic State destruction and looting of cultural sites is reminiscent of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia in the 1970s.

鈥淏oth groups subscribe to the destruction of a collective memory in place of a favored revisionist other,鈥� , a research fellow with the听Institute for Security and Development Policy's Asia Program in Sweden.听鈥淚n effect, both are anti-progress. Reminiscent of the Khmer Rouge鈥檚 鈥榊ear Zero鈥� concept is the recent footage of ISIS destroying ancient artifacts in Mosul and Nimrud.鈥�

ISIS鈥檚 actions are part of a long history of people destroying ancient sites for political, economic, or religious purposes, says archeologist Amy Gazin-Schwartz, associate professor of anthropology at Assumption College in Worcester, Mass.

鈥淭he Assyrians looted and destroyed Babylon in 700 B.C.; medieval 海角大神s in England toppled and broke up some of the ancient 鈥榩agan鈥� standing stones at Avebury; Spanish conquistadors melted down gold artifacts, including the solid gold 鈥榞ardens,鈥� of the Inca,鈥� in The New Republic. 鈥淢odern conflict has not respected antiquities. The 5,000-year-old cities of Ur and Uruk were heavily damaged by the first and second Gulf Wars.鈥�

In March, more than 60 Iraqi cultural treasures illegally smuggled into the United States were returned to the Republic of Iraq, according to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In Damascus, Maamoun Abdulkarim, the head of the Antiquities and Museum Department, said Palmyra's town museum had suffered "minor damages" during the ISIS onslaught.

"The city is now totally controlled by gunmen and its destiny is dark and dim," warned Mr. Abdulkarim, . "We are in a state of anticipation and fear" about what will happen to "the archaeological site and the remaining artifacts in the museum."

Abdulkarim that hundreds of statues and artifacts from Palmyra's museum had been transferred out of the city but many others 鈥� including massive tombs 鈥� could not be moved.

According to the latest reports, Islamic State fighters had entered Palmyra鈥檚 historical sites by early Thursday but there were no immediate reports of destruction.