CHI – UPDATE – New Damage in Palmyra Uncovered by ASOR CHI - American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR)

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CHI – UPDATE – New Damage in Palmyra Uncovered by ASOR CHI

NEW DAMAGE IN PALMYRA UNCOVERED BY ASOR CHI

U. S. DEPT. COOPERATION AGREEMENT NUMBER: S-IZ-100-17-CA021

BY Michael Danti, Allison Cuneo, Marina Gabriel, and Susan Penacho

* This report is based on research conducted by the “Safeguarding the Heritage of the Near East Initiative,” funded by the US Department of State. Monthly reports reflect reporting from a variety of sources and may contain unverified material. As such, they should be treated as preliminary and subject to change.

UNESCO World Heritage Site of Palmyra, with red box denoting area of new damages (DigitalGlobe; January 10, 2017)

On January 19, 2017, ASOR CHI obtained DigitalGlobe satellite imagery that revealed new damage to the ISIL-occupied UNESCO World Heritage site of Palmyra. ASOR CHI can confirm that that damage occurred between December 26, 2016 and January 10, 2017. The imagery showed significant damage to the Tetrapylon and the Roman Theater, likely the result of of destruction by ISIL; however, ASOR CHI has thus far not been able to verify the exact cause. Both sites were previously left unharmed by the group, who controlled Palmyra from May 2015 to March 2016. The Tetrapylon appears to have been intentionally destroyed using explosives, possibly in a similar manner to how ISIL militants destroyed the Temple of Bel, the Baalshamin Temple, the Triumphal Arch, and several tower tombs located within the Valley of the Tombs. Two columns of the Tetrapylon remain standing, but the majority of the structure has been severely damaged and column drums and debris are visible on the ground around the structure. The Roman Theater has sustained damage to the stage backdrop (scaenae frons), primarily in the area of the Porticus. New stone debris is visible scattered across the center of the stage.

On January 20, Syria’s Director General of Antiquities and Museums, Maamoun Abdulkarim, confirmed that ISIL had destroyed the Tetrapylon and part of the facade of the Roman Theater describing the damage as a “horror film.” According to Abdulkarim, the Syrian antiquities directorate had been alerted of the damage by local residents one week prior to ASOR CHI’s report. UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova called the new instances of destruction a “war crime” and a “blow against cultural heritage.”

In addition to the new damage at Palmyra, on January 19, 2017, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that ISIL militants had executed prisoners, both military and civilian, in the area of the Archaeological Museum, the Roman Theater, and the now-vacant Russian Base established in the Northern Necropolis after the recapture of the area in March 2016. In mid-December 2016, ISIL militants recaptured the ancient site of Palmyra and the modern town of Tadmor, where thus far only few former residents have been able to return.

The Tetraplyon

The Tetrapylon in Palmyra after the site was recaptured from ISIL by the Syrian Army (Valery Sharifulin/Getty; April 3, 2016)

The Tetraplyon at Palmyra once consisted of four large plinths, each supporting four columns topped by a massive corinth. This type of tetrapylon is called a tetrakionion, in which the four corners of the structure are not connected overhead. The main colonnaded street of Palmyra changes direction twice, and at these points unique architectural devices — the Triumphal Arch and the Tetrapylon — were built to make the route appear more harmonious. Only one of the original pink Egyptian granite columns survives — the others were modern reproductions.

Syrian and international archaeologists were relieved to see that the Tetrapylon had not been damaged by ISIL when the areas was recaptured in March 2016.

The Roman Theater

The Roman Theater facing northwest after the site was recaptured from ISIL by the Syrian Army (Valery Sharifulin/Getty; April 3, 2016)

Palmyra’s late 2nd-century CE Severan-period theater is located southwest of the colonnaded Decumanus. The theater is unfinished, consisting only of the lowest level of seating, theima cavea (the media and summa caveae would normally be above this lowest section, which is reserved for the elite), but still represents one of the best preserved Roman theaters in Syria. The Theater is ringed by a colonnaded portico which opens onto a colonnaded street leading to Palmyra’s Southern Gate.

Palmyra’s Roman Theater was previously the scene of grisly executions carried out by ISIL. In July 2015, the theater provided a backdrop for an ISIL produced film in which teenage members of the group, executed 25 Syrian soldiers in front of a gathered audience.

In May 2016, after the site was recaptured from ISIL, a Russian symphony orchestra performed a concert in the Roman theater in front of an audience that included Russian and Syrian soldiers, government officials, and Syrian civilians thought to be residents of regime-held areas. The event was broadcast live on Russian TV. Reporters, attending at the invitation of the Russians, were flown in from Moscow and bused to the site in order to attend the concert.

The Archaeological Museum

A view of the Palmyra Archaeological Museum after the site was recaptured from ISIL by the Syrian Army (Valery Sharifulin/TASS; April 2, 2016)

An assessment of the museum by ASOR CHI following the recapture of the area by Syrian regime and Russian forces detailed extensive combat-related damage to the museum, as well as deliberate destruction to artifacts in the museum’s collection. According to one report, ISIL repurposed the basement of the museum into an Islamic Court and carried out at least one execution of a woman named Fatima in the vicinity of the museum. The museum has also been rumored to have been the site of another brutal execution, that of former Director of Palmyra Antiquities Khaled al-Assad.

ASOR CHI will continue to monitor the rapidly changing situation in Palmyra and remains concerned about the plight of civilians in Tadmor.

For media inquiries regarding the recent incidents in Palmyra please contact asorhert@bu.edu .

For previous Special Reports on Palmyra please see:

ASOR CHI Special Report on the Importance of Palmyra
ASOR CHI Special Report: Update on the Situation in Palmyra
ASOR CHI Special Report: The Recapture of Palmyra

For previous reports of damage to the sites mentioned above please see:

Temple of Bel: ASOR CHI Incident Report 15-0055 in Weekly Report 33, SHI 15-0127 in Weekly Report 55-56, SHI 15-0127 in Weekly Report 57-58, SHI 16-0026 in Weekly Report 79-80, SHI 16-0041 in Weekly Report 85-86, SHI 16-0041 in Weekly Report 87-88, SHI 16-0174 in Weekly Report 119-120.

Baal Shamin: ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 15-0096 in Weekly Report 45, SHI 15-0124 in Weekly Report 55-56, SHI 15-0125 in Weekly Report 57-58, SHI 16-0041 in Weekly Report 87-88.

Triumphal Arch: ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 15-0138 in Weekly Report 61-62, SHI 16-0041 in Weekly Report 85-86, SHI 16-0041 in Weekly Report 87-88.

Valley of the Tombs: ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0041 in Weekly Report 87-88 and SHI 16-0174 in Weekly Report 119-120.

Sources:

Darke, D. (2006) Syria. Chalfont St. Peter, U.K.: Bradt Travel Guides.