Why the Islamic State systematically erased ancient history across Iraq and Syria
In short: Between 2014 and 2017, the Islamic State launched a calculated campaign to destroy cultural heritage sites. Beyond mere vandalism, these demolitions served a dual purpose: enforcing a strict ideological rejection of polytheism and generating illicit revenue through the global trade of looted antiquities, while simultaneously erasing traces of previous civilizations.
The ideological justification for this destruction was rooted in the group's interpretation of Salafism, which emphasizes strict monotheism and the elimination of what it deems polytheism. This led to the targeting of diverse religious sites, including Sunni and Shia mosques, tombs of prophets like Jonah and Daniel, and numerous Christian churches and monasteries. By destroying these structures, the group sought to purge the landscape of symbols it considered contradictory to its interpretation of sharia, often using explosives or bulldozers to ensure total annihilation.
Beyond ideology, the destruction served practical strategic goals. High-profile demolitions of sites like the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul or the temples of Palmyra garnered significant international media attention. Simultaneously, the group engaged in the systematic looting of archaeological sites such as Tel Ajaja and the Mosul Museum. Despite a UN ban on the trade of Syrian artifacts, these items were smuggled into underground markets in Europe and North America to finance the group's operations. In some instances, such as at Hatra, the group smashed interior art and scriptures while leaving structural ruins largely intact.
The scale of the damage was immense. By July 2015, approximately 20% of Iraq's 10,000 archaeological sites were under the group's control. Iconic locations like Nimrud suffered near-total destruction, with 90% of the excavated zone lost. While some recovery efforts, such as the Smithsonian-funded Nimrud Rescue Project, have worked to conserve what remains, the loss of these historical markers represents a profound erasure of human history. The destruction was not merely a byproduct of war but a deliberate effort to reshape the cultural identity of the regions they occupied.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Destruction of cultural heritage by the Islamic State
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