Slow Reconstruction of Historical Sites Damaged by War in Syria

The dire condition of ancient sites in Syria and the slow pace of their reconstruction have raised significant concerns. At the height of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) invasion across Syria, the world watched in horror as an arch and an iconic temple in the Roman ruins of Palmyra were blown up. Eight years later, ISIS has lost its grip, but the reconstruction of this site has stalled due to security reasons, landmines left over from the ISIS rule, and a lack of funding. According to the Associated Press, other archaeological sites across Syria face similar problems in both government-controlled areas and those held by opposition forces. These sites have been damaged due to the war or recently by a deadly earthquake that shook a wide area of Turkey and Syria in February. Yusuf Kanjo, former director of the National Museum of Aleppo, stated that the condition of ancient sites in his country is a "disaster." Kanjo said, "Without a coordinated effort to rebuild these sites, we will lose what has not been destroyed by war or earthquake." Before the war, Palmyra was one of six UNESCO World Heritage sites in Syria and the crown jewel of the country's antiquities, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year. This ancient city was the capital of a country reliant on the Roman Empire, which briefly rebelled and established its own kingdom in the 3rd century AD under Queen Zenobia, wife of Odenathus, the king of Palmyra. However, in modern times, the area was a prison where opponents of Bashar al-Assad were tortured and killed. Today, several Syrian army checkpoints have been established along the desert road from Homs to Palmyra. The Palmyra museum is closed, and a famous lion statue that stood in front of it has been moved to Damascus for restoration and preservation. Nevertheless, Syrian and foreign tourists are once again returning to visit this historical site.