Patrizia La Piscopia: Islamic State deriving a strange legitimacy from the destruction of Palmyra

After seeing so many human beings perish trying to escape the horror and violence of war, it might seem quite inappropriate to talk about the destruction of archaeological sites and historic cities.

Unquestionably, the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East has now reached unprecedented proportions.

The advancement of the so-called “caliphate” has been characterised, not only by indiscriminate attacks on civilians and their property, but also by the deliberate destruction of cultural and religious sites, along with the misappropriation and trafficking of looted archaeological artefacts.

The Bel Temple, the Baal Shamin Temple and the Arch of Triumph are three of the best-preserved monuments in the area of the World Heritage site of Palmyra, are only the latest victims of the destructive fury of Isil.

The ancient city itself located in the heart of Syria, and its environs, were seized early this May.

Infamous black flag

Only a few days later, the infamous black flag was raised over the Roman theatre to set the scene for the execution of 25 of Assad’s men. The world is aware of this because footage of the event was deliberately released on social media to feed the propaganda machine of Islamic State with new scenes of violence associated with cultural heritage.

Between the 1st and the 3rd century AD, the strategically located oasis of Palmyra - populated since the third millennium BC - became a flourishing commercial crossroad along the trading route connecting the Mediterranean to the opulent Eastern markets.

The monumental ruins of the urban centre, together with its necropolis, represent a unique and invaluable example of cultural integration between Greco-Roman, Persian and Parthian styles.

Historically, this truly multi-ethnic and prosperous city is also celebrated for its several attempts to obtain independence from Rome, which culminated in the aggressive rebellion led by Queen Zenobia, rapidly subjugated by emperor Aurelian.

News of looting and destruction of archaeological sites, together with the desecration of Christian and Islamic places of worship, continued to be released throughout the summer.

Ancient tower tombs, cemeteries, monasteries, Shia and Sufi Shrines were destroyed while social media accounts directly associated with Isil documented and reported this news, on their own terms.

Unanimous outcry

Every time when Syrian authorities, international scholars or Isil itself confirmed the rumour of some attack, the outcry from the international community was unanimous.

In May, the UN passed a resolution stating that Isil’s destruction of cultural heritage should be considered a war crime, and urged an immediate joint action to prevent further obliteration of what is considered to be our common heritage.

In the last few years, Unesco has repeatedly released statements condemning such acts of annihilation and cultural cleansing.

Unfortunately, up to now, statements and resolutions have proven ineffective in combating the escalation of violence.

It is difficult to understand the reasoning behind these acts of deliberate destruction. Isil’s leaders recognise the value of the past, and they are willing to exploit it for their own means, be they political, religious or economic.

Their propaganda machine might not be the most sophisticated, but they are well aware that each time they strike the reverberations of their actions will receive the full attention of politicians, cultural experts and lay people.

To be able to attract the attention of the West surely has its advantages. The ability to cause uproar and provoke inflammatory reactions in the public opinion is giving Islamic State some sort of negative legitimation - the legitimation they need to keep calling their devastation of the Middle East a “State”.

In addition to this, they lean on their fictitiously extremist religious views to justify the obliteration of history and its testimonies.

According to their statements, the aim is to purge the world of every tangible trace of idolatry and apostasy.

Recruitment campaign

This ambition is not exactly pursued with coherence, but does appear to be particularly effective when it comes to encouraging and supporting the recruitment campaign.

The promise of the opportunity to perform the cathartic smashing of “idols” certainly has its appeal for those radical resentful individuals that are willing to join this militia.

That said, we should not forget the fact that to fight a war is an expensive business and, if well exploited, antiquities can become an effective source of revenue. From this point of view, the areas now under the control of Isil are extremely rich, and by no means new to looting.

However, since the advent of the caliphate, what was once primarily subsistence looting has now become a systematic, organised and institutionalised trade.

The funds raised from the sale of illicit antiquities are unquantifiable, and the market is very difficult to monitor.

What is difficult to accept is the fact that us “Westerners” must bear some responsibility for the existence and perpetuation of this trade.

On the one hand we point the finger against brutality and extremism, and on the other we are fuelling this behaviour by paying for the pleasure of owning and collecting antiquities - thus allowing ourselves to be mocked by these fanatics.

Human tragedy

War is a human tragedy encompassing every aspect of life, including culture, which is vital and defines us as human beings. People, places and history are linked.

The sacrifice of Khaled al-Asa’ad, former director of Palmyra Antiquities, recently executed in the name of his love and dedication to his ancestral heritage, demonstrates that both those who destroy, and those who protect, understand the intrinsic value of culture.

Shamefully, those who protected have had to pay with their lives and might too soon be forgotten.

Patrizia La Piscopia is an archaeologist and a postgraduate researcher based at UCD. Her interests span from archaeology to politics and foreign affairs. She is currently lecturing about the protection of cultural heritage amid armed conflict.