To download the full paper please click here.

INTRODUCTION

Syria became one of the most important international archaeological fields in recent decades; by the early 21st century, Syria had accepted over one hundred archaeological missions in the country. Stability in Syria was one of the reasons which attracted numbers of well-known archaeological research institutes and universities. The government’s construction of the Tabqa, Teshreen, and Hassakeh dams along the Euphrates and Khabur Rivers also facilitated conditions for archaeological work in Syria. Numerous new discoveries at a large number of excavations made Syria one of the most archaeologically investigated countries in the world. Syrian authorities in 1997 declared Syria the ‘number one’ site for archaeological excavations and discoveries in the region due to both the number of archaeological missions within the country and to the relevance of their discoveries for historical knowledge (Bounni 1997:109, Gillot 2010:5).

Syrian heritage has suffered, as the Syrian people have suffered considerable damage during the conflict which began in 2011. Unfortunately, battles were severe in many of Syria’s archaeological sites, including those inscribed on the World Heritage list such as Aleppo, Palmyra and Bosra (Abdulkarim 2013). That has led to the destruction and loss of a part of Syria’s heritage, which is important not only to the history of the region, but also for the history of humanity.

Although the primary reason for the destruction of Syria’s cultural heritage is years of conflict, other pre-war factors also played a role. For instance, one main factor is the inability of the heritage protection authorities, both national and international, to increase knowledge among the Syrian community of the importance of their heritage. Raising awareness in young people is key because they will have the ability to protect their heritage now and in the future (Kanjou 2014).

Now, after years of war large sections of Syrian heritage are under threat. There are some heavily damaged sites, which cannot be restored and are lost forever. Illegal excavation on archaeological sites is prevalent and various important objects were stolen, thereby losing their provenance and context. Such abuses are ongoing, and the level of destruction is increasing in its severity. The conflict also stopped almost all of the archaeological projects in Syria. The current situation led to the emigration of Syrian archaeologists. International archaeologists are unable to continue their investigations on archaeological sites, but they have also lost the chance to study material excavated from these sites. They have moved their research fields from Syria to other accessible areas such as Caucasian countries, Turkey, Jordan, Iraqi Kurdistan, and the Gulf countries. However, these peripheral countries may not provide extensive cultural assets found in Syria and Mesopotamia.

As stated previously, the Syrian community lacks knowledge and resources to save its own archaeological property. This has occurred for a number of reasons, including a lack of cooperation from local and international authorities. Before the conflict there was a tendency to involve the local community in the management and development of archaeological sites through local development projects. However, the war disrupted all of these projects, and the community has become less aware and less knowledgeable about their heritage. In addition, disorder, poverty and insecurity have encouraged international trafficking in Syrian antiquities.

To download the full paper please click here.