Palmyra is one of the most famous sites in Syria for its extraordinary heritage and archaeological remains. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980, the city saw much of its heritage destroyed during the war. Following the liberation of Syria from the Assad regime on 8 December, a multidisciplinary team has carried out a field study in Palmyra to assess the current state of the archaeological monuments and the surrounding residential areas, comparing them with their condition before the start of the Syrian uprising in 2011. The report is an initiative of Palmyrene Voices of the NGO Heritage for Peace in collaboration with the CSIC's Milà i Fontanals Institution.
‘We want,’ says Isber Sabrine, a CSIC archaeologist and one of the report's coordinators, ’to raise awareness among both local communities and the international community about the serious threats facing Palmyra's heritage’. Sabrine is an archaeologist of Syrian origin and currently a researcher at IMF-CSIC. Hasan Ali and Mohammed Fares, also archaeologists and members of the Palmyrene Voices initiative, coordinated the report. A team of 15 observers contributed data for the report, including citizens of Palmyra, archaeologists and refugees who have recently returned to the city.
80% of the city destroyed or on the verge of collapse
The report highlights historical and recent challenges, including periods of repression under the presidencies of Hafez al-Assad (1971-2000) and Bashar al-Assad (2000-2024), as well as devastating damage during the occupation by the Islamic State (ISIS).
The documented buildings and archaeological remains cover approximately 12 square kilometres, including the Efqa Oasis.
The latter, some 400 hectares in size, was burnt to the ground in the 2020 fires set by the Assad regime. The remaining trees in parts that no longer receive water have dried out and turned into dead wood. At present, as observers have documented, some returning orchard owners are trying to save what is left of their palm and olive trees.
Eighty per cent of the city's buildings are destroyed or at risk of collapse, the report says, and landmines and weapons are scattered everywhere. Basic services such as water, electricity, internet, education and health are almost non-existent in the population, which suffers from severe poverty. Some 10,000 people have returned, about 10 per cent of Palmyra's 100,000 inhabitants.
Damage to archaeological heritage
Observers have documented damage to the 12 most important monuments and archaeological sites, including Roman remains such as the Tetrapylon (a monumental square platform bearing at each corner a tight grouping of four columns, dating from the 2nd century), and the Roman theatre (both 2nd century), the Camp of Diocletian (3rd century), the Castle of Palmyra or Qalʿat Ibn Maʿn (13th century), the Valley of the Tombs (1st century), the Archaeological Museum of Palmyra, among others.
Thus, for example, the four structures of the Tetrapylon were destroyed by explosions that reduced their columns to rubble and scattered stone fragments. It is also noted that there is no evidence of documentation or numbering of the stones, which, if present, could be helpful in their reconstruction. The BaalShamin Temple, around 2,200 years old, has been reduced to rubble.
On the Roman theatre, researchers have found evidence of a collapse of the façade, damaged by bombing. Signs of illegal excavations have also been found.
Regarding the Archaeological Museum, the report notes that most of the heavy statues and funerary beds are smashed or broken, and the structure of the building is badly damaged by aerial bombardment. The museum is not operational, but guards from the Directorate of Antiquities and some local volunteers protect it without support from the new administration. In addition, there are no administrative staff to supervise the museum.
The availability of more staff for heritage protection and conservation in Palmyra is directly linked to the return of its population, say the report's authors. ‘The city currently faces significant challenges due to the devastation caused by the conflict, which has led to the massive displacement of its inhabitants.
Acute need to rebuild
The report notes that in order for Palmyra to regain its vitality and human resources to manage its heritage, it is essential to prioritise the reconstruction of its basic infrastructure and habitable areas. ‘Without housing, essential services and economic opportunities, the return of the population will be limited, making it difficult for local professionals and workers to be available for heritage conservation,’ notes Isber Sabrine.
The report ‘seeks to inspire local and international communities to recognise the threats facing Palmyra and the pressing need to rehabilitate and reconstruct its archaeological site, oasis and residential areas’.
It also ‘underlines the urgent need to implement rehabilitation and reconstruction strategies for the archaeological site and the modern city of Palmyra to ensure the conservation of this globally important site and the return of the people’.
This joint action reinforces the commitment of the IMF-CSIC and the Palmyra Voices Initiative to the defence of cultural heritage and the reconstruction of a post-conflict Syria.
CSIC Communication
Method of Research
Observational study
Subject of Research
People