Reconstructing Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones: Should Palmyra be Rebuilt?

The reconstruction of cultural heritage sites, such as Palmyra, destroyed by conflict, serves political agendas and is deployed to rewrite history. This study examines the semantics of continuous attempts to reconstruct Syria’s heritage during ongoing war, highlighting how destruction and reconstruction are used to erase physical evidence and impose ideological narratives. It explores the deliberate targeting of archaeological monuments from prehistoric, Byzantine, Roman, and Islamic periods by non-state radical actors like Daesh, who also targeted local people, museum staff, and facilities. The research approach involves analyzing the political dimensions of heritage reconstruction in conflict zones, emphasizing its role in erasing cultural significance and serving socio-political objectives.

Munawar, N. A. (2017). Reconstructing Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones: Should Palmyra be Rebuilt? Ex Novo: Journal of Archaeology, 2, 33–48. https://doi.org/10.32028/exnovo.v2i0.388