Why warfare turns ancient cradles of civilisation into battlegrounds for cultural destruction
In short: In the Middle East, the scars of conflict extend far beyond human casualties. From the strategic use of historic mounds as artillery bases to the deliberate targeting of sites like Palmyra, war transforms irreplaceable cultural treasures into targets of destruction or commodities for the black market.
The destruction of cultural heritage in the Middle East is often a byproduct of strategic military necessity or deliberate iconoclasm. During various conflicts, historic sites known as tells—ancient mounds that have yet to be excavated—have been utilized as military strongpoints or artillery firebases. This use of archaeological sites for combat purposes poses a direct threat to the physical integrity of unexcavated history.
Beyond the accidental damage caused by warfare, there is the more calculated phenomenon of looting and targeted destruction. Groups such as ISIL, also known as ISIS or Daesh, have been notorious for deliberately targeting the region's rich cultural heritage, most famously in the ancient city of Palmyra. This destruction is often accompanied by the systematic looting of minor archaeological sites to supply the Western art market with illicit artefacts.
The scale of this devastation is compounded by long-standing regional instability. For example, the Iran-Iraq war, which lasted from 1980 to 1988, caused enormously damaging impacts on all aspects of life in the region. As Mesopotamia, often regarded as the cradle of civilisation, faces these ongoing crises, the loss of its urban and rural treasures represents a catastrophic blow to global human history.
While the violence and the wrecking of these sites may seem incomprehensible to many, scholars note that religious intolerance and iconoclastic behaviour are not unique to the Middle East, having appeared throughout Western history as well.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Cultural Heritage in Times of War and the Present Crisis in the Middle East - Sir Derek Plumbly
- Also: Cultural heritage in times of war and the present crisis in the Middle East
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