NEAR EASTERN

VOLUME 78 • ISSUE 3 • SEPTEMBER 2015

Special Issue: The Cultural Heritage Crisis in the Middle East Ground-Based Observations archaeological sites using recent, high-resolution 132 of Cultural Heritage Incidents satellite imagery. Analysis focuses on generating in Syria and Iraq quantifiable data regarding the scope and severity of ~ Michael D. Danti looting across Syria. Results suggest that more than 25% of archaeological sites in Syria have been im- ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives (ASOR CHI) uses pacted by looting since the war began, an order of a wide range of ground-based observations to report magnitude increase over pre-war levels, but that the on the cultural heritage situation in Syria and north- frequency and severity of looting varies significantly ern Iraq. Coupled with analyses of high-resolution across areas held by different factions in the conflict. satellite imagery, these sources of information pro- ◉ vide a powerful method for quickly and accurately Responding to a Cultural Heritage assessing the ongoing crisis for the US Department of 154 Crisis: The Example of the State and alerting the public to the woeful loss of Near Safeguarding the Heritage of Eastern cultural heritage. Looting, combat damage, Syria and Iraq Project deliberate destructions of heritage places, vandalism, ~ Salam Al Quntar, Katharyn Hanson, and uncontrolled development are all taking terrible Brian I. Daniels, and Corine Wegener tolls on heritage throughout the region. While all ma- jor combatants and populations are linked to the de- Considerable attention has been given to the ongo- struction, non-state Jihadi-Salafi groups such as ISIL, ing destruction of cultural heritage as part of the Al Qaeda-affiliates such as Jabhat al-Nusra, and other current crisis in Syria and Iraq. While many aca- Islamist extremists are by far the most brazen and demic responses have started the important work of egregious offenders with overt policies of destroying documenting the extent and scale of the damage to and liquidating cultural assets to support terrorism cultural sites in both countries, there have been few- and to conduct cultural cleansing on a scale and in- er attempts to work within a humanitarian frame- tensity tantamount to a global war on culture. work in order to support Syrians and Iraqis who are ◉ undertaking emergency efforts to protect heritage at Satellite Imagery-Based Analysis risk. This article discusses the strategies employed 142 of Archaeological Looting in Syria by the Safeguarding the Heritage of Syria and Iraq ~ Jesse Casana (SHOSI) Project to assist in-country professionals Most efforts to evaluate the impact of the war and civil society activists in their attempts to protect in Syria on the country’s cultural heritage have key heritage sites. The approach combines the em- struggled with the highly politicized nature of powerment of Syrians and Iraqis in decision-mak- reporting and the total absence of evidence from ing about their heritage while supporting them with many regions. As part of ASOR’s Cultural Heritage the logistics and resources necessary to carry out Initiative, this study documents patterns of loot- emergency efforts. It demonstrates one case study of ing and other forms of damage at more than 1,200 how on-the-ground protection can be achieved.

On the Cover: Remains of the 13th century c.e. minaret of the Ummayad Mosque in Aleppo, Syria, destroyed in fighting in April 2013. Photograph by “Lens of a Young Halabi,” reproduced courtesy of Heritage for Peace. ◉ ◉ Mapping the Heart of Mesopotamia: An Update on the Looting of 162 A Bittersweet Legacy in the Landscape 178 Archaeological Sites in Iraq of War ~ Elizabeth C. Stone ~ Suzanne E. Bott Southern Iraq suffered an onslaught of looting of With the destruction of significant portions of archaeological sites following the first Gulf War the heritage sites in Iraq and Syria, scholars are and especially in the immediate aftermath of the working to document and assess the damage. It US invasion. This paper uses recent high resolu- may be years before security allows onsite evalu- tion satellite imagery taken by the Digital Globe ation; in the meantime, satellite imagery and Corporation to compare data on site looting limited visual confirmation are the only meth- collected based on imagery from 2003 to today. ods available, often resulting in delays in report- The high resolution of these images makes every ing and misinformation. One tool being used looting hole clearly visible. These data show that for analysis of several key sites in northern Iraq while looting continues, it is at a significantly is a set of surveys and photos created between lower level than before, especially given the more 2008 and 2010 by members of the joint military- than 20 years between the two sets of imagery. civilian Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), Some changes can be documented in both the the Iraq Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, location of the looting and the time periods and the State Board of Antiquities and Tourism, types of sites affected. Especially noteworthy is and representatives from UNESCO in Erbil and the decrease in looting at fourth millenium and Amman, Jordan. These joint efforts, along with Early Islamic sites. other activities conducted various partners, are presented as a model for future cooperative con- ◉ servation efforts when conditions allow. The War-Ravaged Cultural Heritage ◉ 187 of Afghanistan: An Overview of Projects of Assessment, Mitigation, ISIS, Heritage, and the Spectacles of and Preservation 170 Destruction in the Global Media ~ Gil J. Stein ~ Ömür Harmanşah Afghanistan is the quintessential “crossroads of This paper focuses on ISIS’s recent destruction of cultures” where the civilizations of the Near East, archaeological heritage in Iraq and its (self-) rep- Central Asia, South Asia, and China interacted resentation in the global media. It is argued that over the millennia in a constantly shifting mix- the Islamic State’s destruction of archaeological ture of trade, emulation, migration, imperial sites and museums as well as historical monu- formations, and periodic conflict. This complex ments and local shrines can be seen as a form history of contacts gave rise to some of the most of place-based violence that aims to annihilate important archaeological, artistic, architectural, the local sense of belonging, and the collective and textual treasures in world cultural heritage. sense of memory among local communities, to Thirty five years of continuous war have dev- whom the heritage belongs. It is also suggested astated Afghanistan’s archaeological heritage – that the Islamic State coordinates and choreo- most notably with the destruction of the Bami- graphs these destructions as mediatic spectacles yan Buddhas, the shelling and looting of the of violence aimed at objects and sites of heritage, National Museum in Kabul, and large scale loot- which take place as re-enactments or histori- ing of archaeological sites such as Ai Khanoum. cal performances that are communicated to us This paper presents an overview of the continu- through ISIS’s own image-making apparatus that ing threats to Afghanistan’s cultural heritage utilizes advanced technologies of visualization – focusing mainly on archaeology – and sum- and communication. marizes ongoing efforts to monitor the damage,

130 NEAR EASTERN ARCHAEOLOGY 78:3 (2015) mitigate its impacts, and develop infrastructure Libya, it is not surprising that cultural heri- to preserve this priceless cultural patrimony. tage struggles for recognition and protection. ◉ Working within this challenging environment, the Libyan Department of Antiquities con- Archaeological Looting in Egypt: tinues to negotiate the protection of cultural 196 A Geospatial View (Case Studies sites in contested areas and to draw up plans from Saqqara, Lisht, and el Hibeh) for emergency inventory, crisis planning, and ~ Sarah Parcak protection work. Despite their best efforts, it remains unclear what the future will hold for While many news reports exist about archaeo- the cultural heritage of Libya. logical site looting in Egypt following its January 2011 Revolution, no one had yet examined the ◉ issue of how looting patterns changed over time "Why Is No One Talking about across the country or at distinct archaeological 212 Libya's Cultural Destruction?" sites. This study uses rapidly tasked high reso- ~ Neil Brodie lution satellite images from 2009-2013 to assess looting at three important regions: The pyra- Since 1990, as country after country throughout mid fields (from Abusir to Dashur), el Hibeh, West Asia and North Africa has fallen victim to and Lisht. We mapped looting pits and their civil disturbance or conflict, its cultural heritage areas to assess overall change in looting pat- has been looted to feed the demand of an inter- terns, and noted an increase of over 500% over national antiquities market. International pub- the three year time period. While open source lic policy has failed to achieve any kind of hold tools like Google Earth are useful for longer on the problem. This paper looks at the reasons term looting mapping projects, we suggest that for policy failure, with a particular emphasis rapidly tasked commercial satellite imagery can on recently implemented policy initiatives in- provide near real-time looting evaluation of tended to safeguard cultural heritage in Syria. sites. Ground truthing visits are described here, The paper is critical of the relationship between as well as potential solutions via collaborative traditional and social media news reporting programs in partnership with Egypt’s Ministry and policy making. It concludes by arguing of Antiquities. that attempts to safeguard cultural heritage at its source are inappropriate for the task at hand ◉ and more needs to be done to tackle demand on Archaeology and Cultural Heritage the destination market. 204 in Post-Revolution Libya ~ Susan Kane ◉ Libya’s cultural heritage is facing significant Books to Dig Into threats and damage, not only from unregu- 220 lated development, but also increasing acts of Two Books of Ezekiel: civil disorder. With two de facto governments Papyrus 967 and the Masoretic Text claiming authority in the country, no clearly as Variant Literary Traditions operating constitution, contesting militias, and rising religious extremism, more damage is be- ~ Author: Ingrid E. Lilly ing done to the country’s cultural heritage than ~ Reviewer: Herrie F. van Rooy was caused by the events of the 2011 Revolu- tion. During the Gaddafi regime, Libya’s cul- Women in the Ancient Near East: tural heritage from the pre-Arab period was A Sourcebook seen as a reminder of Libya’s colonial past and therefore neglected for political reasons. ~ Editor: Mark W. Chavalas And given the many challenges facing the new ~ Reviewer: Stephen M. Wilson

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