The Newsletter No. 80 Summer 2018 Heritage expertise across Asia 31 The Focus

active risk to their lives, including possible detention by the Assad government and the destruction of their homes and heritage. This tone-deaf engagement with heritage Palmyra and expert failure preservation in the context of active conflict suggests an absence of ethical concerns. There are, in addition, equally problematic claims surrounding the preservation of Salam Al Quntar Since the outbreak of Syria’s civil war in 2011, Syrian cultural Palmyra from other organizations. During the destruction documented at the site, a heritage has suffered extensive destruction resulting from collateral number of international research efforts were bombing damage, military use, intentional destruction, and looting. launched to record the extent of damage to cultural heritage resources in various ways. As discussed in relation to the international failure to respond to the While analysis of high-resolution satellite tragic humanitarian crisis that ensued, the destruction of heritage has imagery has typically been used to record the destruction of monuments by the hands created great frustration for the international community of heritage of ISIS,4 technological advancements in experts, who have focused primarily on obtaining and distributing 3-dimensional documentation (3D) are used popularly to produce archival information information about the extent of damage to cultural resources, rather and promote dissemination of information than on the conditions created by the crisis.1 about cultural heritage sites. For example, the Institute for Digital Archaeology at the University of Oxford has created a 3D model of the destroyed Arch of Triumph in Palmyra n this sense, the Syrian heritage crisis Palmyrene empire which annexed much of been dedicated to this site. Following this using structure-from-motion photogrammetry represents what Lynn Meskell has called the Roman east. Palmyra’s architecture is shocking execution, ISIS proceeded to destroy data,5 which was then printed as a 3D arch Ian “expert failure” to describe the in- notorious for its grand colonnade, a 1100 many of the most famous ruins in situ—the and put on display in London and New York. effectiveness of professional archaeologists meter-long Roman street that connects a Bel and Baalshamin temples, the tower tombs, This initiative prompted a heated debate and preservationists to save heritage in a time temple to the god Bel with the area known as the monumental arch and standing columns— about the purpose of such an endeavor, of conflict.2 I would argue that traditional the Camp of Diocletian. Other archaeological in addition to plundering the Palmyra Museum both its creation and display, especially expert responses to the crisis by international remains in the ancient city of Palmyra today and destroying a large number of sculptures considering that the reproduced model not organizations, spearheaded by the United include an agora, a theatre, urban quarters, and artifacts still inside. In March 2016, the only failed to capture the authenticity of Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural and other temples that comprise what is Assad forces backed by Russian military the original structure, but moreover showed Organization (UNESCO), have shown little generally considered by scholars to be the support, recaptured Palmyra and immediately a lack of relatedness between this initiative tangible benefit to Syrians, to Syrian heritage finest example of surviving Roman architecture started building a Russian military base within and heritage stakeholders in Syria. In this professionals, and to Syrian cultural heritage. in the Eastern Mediterranean. Also, within the the site. Nine months later, in December sense, the display was a ‘technological hit’ The majority of appeals made in support archaeological zone of Palmyra stands the 2016, ISIS recaptured Palmyra and this time that claimed Western custodianship over of the protection of Syrian heritage have Fakhr-al-Din al-Ma’ani Castle. This heavy destroyed the tetrapylon and damaged the an endangered heritage and not much else. endorsed a notion of universality and fortification dates to the 13th century and theater. The Assad regime forces managed neutrality to justify the need to protect this offers a spectacular view of the site. The site to take it back in March 2017. cultural heritage. However, the emphasis by of Palmyra, inscribed as a UNESCO World During this time, the ancient site also Reconstruction UNESCO on coordinating its efforts through Heritage Site in 1980, has a defined place in witnessed extensive looting operations, governmental communication channels Syrian historical consciousness. Syrians feel a which resulted in many Palmyrene artifacts of Palmyra has resulted in an inability to take effective particular connection to the site and take much appearing on the antiquity market or being Throughout my work as an archaeologist protective actions and puts to question pride of the once great merchant city that captured by Lebanese and Turkish customs concerned with the ongoing developments its commitment to neutrality. The ongoing influenced and ultimately defied the power of officers. Looting started in the fall of 2011, in Syria I note that, at various levels of concerns with the fate of Palmyra, as Rome. Palmyra stands at the literal crossroads closely following the uprising in Syria, and authority, groups of international experts I discuss in this piece and through my of civilizations as the art and architecture of as ISIS took occupation of the site, they engage with problematic uses of heritage research, demonstrates the failure of the city is also a perfect portrait of the Fertile established the so-called Diwan al Rikaz preservation claims without a clear concern UNESCO’s commitment to building peace Crescent, which features an incredible blend office, giving digging permits in exchange for for the ethics associated with the work of in the minds of women and men. It also of cultures and traditions: a dynamic culture a tax, applied only for non-figurative objects. heritage preservation and management. attests to the failure of international experts and a land of inherent pluralism and mélange However, it is believed that the looters were Instead of promoting a better understanding to preserve the heritage of Palmyra in owing to its Mesopotamian, Levantine, Semitic, handing over only unsellable figurative of the way in which Syrian cultural heritage any meaningful and sustainable way. Greco-Roman, Persian, and Islamic heritage. objects to the Diwan al Rikaz (presumably to resources and their fate are mobilized I argue that, in these failed attempts, little Both the modern town and ancient city be destroyed by ISIS fighters), while keeping for political or sectarian gains, a concern consideration has been given to local of Palmyra were caught in the crossfire that from ISIS those artifacts in good condition with an idealistic reconstruction of Palmyra communities and to Syrian experts as main marked the Syrian civil war, first starting that are to be sold to dealers of antiquities de-sensitizes audiences and other experts stakeholders in the preservation of this during early 2013. In 2014, military forces on the black market. alike to the context that gives Palmyra its cultural heritage resource. from the Assad regime fortified themselves significance: heritage reconstruction as a within the site, further damaging the ruins. reconciling and unifying role in post-conflict In 2015, ISIS forces overran Palmyra, and Heritage and preservation Syria, with the Syrian people (not monuments) Palmyra committed barbaric and monstrous assaults at the core of the reconstruction process. The Built around an oasis in the Syrian desert, on the people and cultural monuments and as propaganda day for discussions about the reconstruction Tadmur—or Palmyra [city of palms]—was artifacts of the city. Throughout these events, Throughout the different shifts in the of Palmyra will come and it will require a one of the most important trade and cultural the destruction of Palmyra’s magnificent control of Palmyra, its monuments and period of reflection about what should be centers of the ancient world, with a distinctive monuments provoked an international outcry artefacts have been used in appalling political rebuilt, how it should be done, and how local culture that was incorporated into the and prompted significant media attention. propaganda.3 While ISIS used the ancient recent events of the war and occupation Roman Empire in the first century CE. More At the center of these events, ISIS executed theater to stage dramatic executions for by ISIS should be memorialized, if at all. than two centuries later, the city gained Khaled Al-Ass’ad, the former director circulation on social media, Russian military This is a discussion that will invite voices independence from Rome, and under its of Antiquities at Palmyra and a devoted forces later staged a music concert at the from institutional and disciplinary heritage famous Queen Zenobia, established the outstanding archeologist whose work had theater to promote an image of a civilized expertise. I argue, therefore, that this Russian savior before losing the discussion must be undertaken by Syrians site to ISIS forces again. As ISIS was on all sides of the conflict and not decided driven out of Palmyra in for Syria by international experts and March 2016, and despite the fragile diplomatic organizations. security conditions, UNESCO released a statement on its future Salam Al Quntar Lecturer Assistant plans for Palmyra on 27 March Professor - Classics, Rutgers University. 2016. In this, the organization [email protected] announced a telephone conver- sation between the Director General of UNESCO, Irina Notes Bokova, and President Vladimir Putin of Russia during which 1 Al Quntar, S. & B.I. Daniels. 2016. they discussed the protection ‘Responses to the Destruction of Syrian Cultural Heritage: A Critical Review of and preservation of the cultural Current Efforts’, International Journal heritage of Palmyra. Offering of Islamic Architecture 5(2):381-397. “full support for the restoration of 2 Meskell, L. 2010. ‘Conflict Heritage and Palmyra”, this diplomatic display Expert Failure’, in Labadi, S. & C. Long was underscored by the fact that (eds) 2010. Heritage and Globalisation. UNESCO openly collaborated London: Routledge, pp.192-201. with a foreign actor in an issue 3 Eakin, H. ‘Ancient Syrian Sites: A Different contextualized by an ongoing civil Story of Destruction’ (The New York war, making claims on behalf of Review of Books, 29 September 2016); tinyurl.com/syriansites (accessed a devastated nation. UNESCO’s 4 March 2018) statement came at a time when 4 ‘Special Report: The Recapture of Palmyra’; millions of Syrians were, and still www.asor-syrianheritage.org/4290-2 are, displaced as a consequence of (accessed 4 March 2018) the bloody conflict and the people 5 www.digitalarchaeology.org.uk/ The Arch of Triumph, Palmyra, Syria. Photo by author. of Palmyra continue to experience building-the-arch