In the United States, the words “Middle East” and “Islam” automatically resound with notes of distress. They have been colored red, painted by violence, and bloodshed courtesy of long wars with many casualties on both sides. Perhaps the only term that can adequately define this chaos is “tragedy.” In truth, what is happening in the Middle East is tragic for many reasons and for everyone around the world.
As of 2016, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL have destroyed countless ancient sites in Syria, Iraq, and Libya. These mosques, shrines, churches, libraries, and ancient and medieval sites have been completely eradicated, never to be seen again. In that destruction, we’ve lost countless books and sacred texts; some written by hand, carefully bound and preserved since as late as 5000 BC. Additionally, artifacts and objects that have shed light on the world from centuries past were lost.
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Why does this matter to our generation? Because it’s a long-term problem that doesn’t immediately come to mind when the war in the Middle East is mentioned.”
We must remember that our community is global. Our life experiences adapt to the way the world changes. If these cultural sites and artifacts were to disappear entirely, then we’d lose a massive portion of Middle Eastern history. Imagine the Washington Monument or the Lincoln Memorial being lost in time. It might be hard to imagine but that’s exactly what’s happening now in the Middle East. We are losing parts of the essential story that unites us together, and it’s happening right under our noses.
One of the destroyed tombs was known as the “Tomb of the Girl.” It is famous for supposedly being the final resting place of a young woman who died of a broken heart and it is also the tomb of medieval scholar Ali ibn al-Athir.
The reputed tomb of the prophet Daniel was decimated with explosives. The mosque of the prophet Jonah suffered the same fate. A 13th century shrine, one of the sole survivors of the Mongol invasion of Syria, was demolished with explosives and bulldozers. ISIL is responsible for the obliteration of the churches of Mosul and the ruin of the oldest monastery in Iraq Dair Mar Elia, a 10th century Chaldean Catholic church, and a church built in 1872. The Armenian Genocide Memorial Church no longer exists; neither does the Central Library of Mosul, the Temple of Baalshamin, or the Temple of Bel.
This history is all gone.
It’s been scorched away in mere seconds by bombs and bulldozers; incredible places of worship and humanity have been ground into dust. The most immediate course of action that must be taken is protecting what is left of the Middle East’s ancient artifacts and cultural sites.
In September 2014, John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, revealed the Department of State would work with the American Schools of Orient Research Cultural Heritage Initiatives to record the conditions of the cultural heritage sites in Iraq and Syria and threats made against them to “assess their future restoration, preservation and protection needs”. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, have made statements regarding this cultural devastation, and as of 2015, the Institute for Digital Archaeology planned to create a virtual database of the artifacts and cultural works that were in danger of ISIL retaliation. Perhaps the remaining structures, texts, and other works are doomed to join their counterparts as memories in the wind—but at least we’ll have memories, a record that they ever existed.
The difference between artifacts and historical sites is in the preservation. As previously stated, artifacts have been in the process of being digitally preserved, but there is still an issues with looters. While this is still a problem, the fact is that they have not been destroyed. As a result, there is a chance that they will survive the war in one piece.
While it is infinitely more difficult to preserve cultural sites, The Diplomat offers several solutions as to the conservation, most of which require a synchronized effort by the 191 states belonging to UNESCO’s 1972 World Heritage Convention including the restructuring of documents that would pertain to protecting cultural property. Since this property is targeted due to the values it represents, it should also be rescued and hosted in separate locations around the world, then repatriated once the region they belong to is re-secured.
Of course, these solutions engender a host of problems. But something must be done and done soon, or else there won’t be any artifacts left to protect or for future generations.
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