2016 AAA Invited Session: THE DESTRUCTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE IN WARFARE

Cultural heritage is the physical manifestation of a people’s history and forms a major part of their identity. Unfortunately, the destruction of that heritage has become an ongoing part of conflicts worldwide as can be often seen in both Syria and Iraq. Recent violence in Syria and Iraq has shattered daily life, leaving over 250,000 dead and over 12 million people displaced. Beginning in 2012, civil protests in Damascus and Darra against the Assad government were met with a severe crackdown, leading to a civil war and creating a power vacuum within which terror groups like ISIS have flourished. This conflict has taken a devastating toll on the region’s famed cultural heritage. The Syrian air force has dropped explosive barrel bombs, leveling ancient cities like Aleppo, museums and other historic sites. ISIS has demolished historic and religious buildings across Syria and Iraq and smashed objects it has deemed idolatrous. Cultural objects have also been stolen and sold into the illicit antiquities trade. Political and economic instability lead to the pillage of archaeological sites. Mass murder, systematic terror, and forced resettlement have always been tools of ethnic and sectarian cleansing. And events in Syria and Iraq remind us that the erasure of cultural heritage, which removes all traces of a people from the landscape, is part of the same violent process. The intentional destruction of cultural heritage also aims to terrorize civilian populations. ISIS employs this tactic widely. The terror group has leveled churches, mosques, and other shrines vital to minority communities. Their targets have also included rare standing Assyrian ruins at Nimrud in Iraq and standing Roman temples at Palmyra in Syria. ISIS even tries to erase the fragments of what it destroys. Attempts to cleanse the landscape can be most clearly seen at Mosul, Iraq. In July 2014, for example, ISIS targeted the Tomb of the Prophet Jonah for demolition. Following the explosion of the building, ISIS brought in earthmoving equipment to wipe the site clean. Understanding this loss and responding to it remains a universal challenge. But it is important to remember that the destruction of heritage in conflict has been common throughout history and has been evident from Roman times. 19th and 20th century conflicts (Bosnia, WWII, US Civil War, Caste War of the Yucatan, and many others) clearly show the destruction of heritage as a common tool of war and control. This forum will discuss current studies of heritage destruction related to Syria and Iraq as well as studies of the use, reconstruction, and importance of cultural heritage in post-conflict situations.