Archeology "Turned into a Weapon"

Damage done to the Camp of Diocletian at Palmyra by
Syrian government forces during the construction
of fighting positions between 2012-2015.
(From “Palmyra: Heritage Adrift” p. 38)

Archeologist Christopher Jones has on his blog an interesting article accusing archeologists of closing their eyes to the abuses of the evil Assad regime ("Palmyra Propaganda" April 7, 2016). Greedy for excavation licenses, they wilfully obscure what does not fit the comfortable picture they wish to paint of their "partner". He points out the propaganda values of the recapture of Palmyra for the oppressive Assad government and the part played by the western journalists who photographed the destroyed ancient ruins and shattered statues in the Palmyra Museum. The story as told includes little discussion of the destruction wrought by indiscriminate aerial bombing of the town of Tadmor. There has been little attention paid to the infamous Tadmor Military Prison, into which regime opponents frequently disappeared. The press makes little mention of the damage done to the town in the shelling before it fell to ISIS. During the occupation of Palmyra by government forces from 2012-2015 the archaeological site was damaged by government forces using bulldozers to construct military positions among the ruins. Tower tombs were frequently looted. He says that in the Syrian conflict, archeology has once again been turned into a weapon, one tool of the ideological battlefield alongside many other types of weapons.

St Menas Flask

Menas of Phrygia between two kneeling camels on terra cotta ampulla in @TheBenakiMuseum (GE12527)

Looting in China's Ancient Grand Canal

Bad stewardship: Chinese villagers loot UNESCO World Heritage site while it is being cleaned

Presumably the archeologists involved in this project are just turning a blind eye to this. Do they get a cut? 

 This is the sort of thing that gets collectors a bad name. 

 

The Situation in Palmyra

The archeologists at ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives published a special report on the situation in Palmyra with very little attention paid to human rights issues. For the collector's view: 'Assad is No Friend of Palmyra and its People'

Brief Introduction to Roman Mosaics

A  Brief Introduction to Roman Mosaics from the Getty Museum

Beheaded Statues Inside Palmyra Museum

The latest photos inside Palmyra museum after recapture from ISIS are really shocking. Raghead vandals have destroyed everything, smashing the heads off statues and overturning them. The museum has not been stripped bare - most of the more portable stuff had already been sent to Damascus for safe keeping prior to the arrival of ISIS but the heavy statuary remained and this is how it was treated. This is further proof (if any was needed) that ISIS are destroying not selling our cultural heritage. A sad day for all mankind.

What ISIS Do....

 
On March 31, 2016, a photographer holds a picture of the Temple of Bel taken on March 14, 2014, in front of the remains of the historic temple after it was destroyed by ISIS jihadists in September 2015 in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. Syrian troops backed by Russian forces recaptured Palmyra on March 27, 2016, after a fierce offensive to rescue the city from jihadists who view the UNESCO-listed site's magnificent ruins as idolatrous.