Palmyra: Heritage Adrift

Between February 2012 and June 2015, the archaeological site of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, suffered extensive damage due to military modifications. The Syrian army altered the site's structure by removing soil, digging trenches, and constructing roads, levees, and positions for military equipment within the archaeological area. These changes displaced ancient stone blocks, particularly around funerary towers, to protect armored vehicles and rocket launchers. By June 2013, Palmyra was listed as a World Heritage in Danger due to these irreversible alterations, which compromised both its historical integrity and cultural significance.

Cheikhmous ALI. (2015). Palmyra: Heritage Adrift. ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6067/XCV8447773