Damascus, SANA- Ten-year-old Miral stands in front of the National Museum in Damascus, holding a sign demanding the protection of Syrian antiquities from the illicit excavations taking place at many archaeological sites across the country.
Through her childlike innocence, Miral embodies the hopes of an entire generation for preserving Syria’s cultural identity. This protest, held Saturday in front of the museum, highlights the increasing threats to Syria’s rich heritage due to these illegal practices.
Eiad Ghanem, an archaeological researcher and Head of the Association for the Management of Museums and Archaeological Sites, and organizer of the protest, told SANA that these artifacts represent a national heritage that belongs to all Syrian people.
Ghanem called for a comprehensive national initiative to protect Syrian heritage. This initiative would include urging local communities to return antiquities acquired illegally, halting all illegal excavations, and establishing an international fund to revive Syrian heritage and artifacts.
Ghanem emphasized that illegal excavation has become a dangerous phenomenon, especially with the emergence of gangs specializing in smuggling antiquities across various Syrian regions.
“We must act quickly to recover stolen artifacts and stop all illegal excavations before it’s too late,” he stated.
Standing alongside a group of Syrian youth, Abdullah Sultan, Head of the Syrian Chemical Society, stressed that preserving Syrian identity requires collective efforts from all segments of society.
“The destruction of cultural heritage is a blatant attack on our history, and we must confront it by all possible means,” Sultan said.
Since 2011, Syria has witnessed significant looting and theft of antiquities, along with the destruction of some due to military operations and airstrikes by the previous regime, especially in Idlib Governorate, which contains more than 760 archaeological sites from various historical eras.
Raqqa Governorate, known for its abundance of castles, fortresses, and walls, and the world-renowned city of Palmyra, as well as the southern regions, particularly in Daraa Governorate, have also been severely affected.
According to the latest statistics, nearly one million artifacts have been stolen in Syria, and around 710 archaeological sites have suffered damage ranging from partial harm to complete destruction, from 2011 to 2019.
Syrian antiquities are not merely artistic or archaeological pieces; they are living witnesses to ancient civilizations that date back thousands of years. It is crucial for the international community to join local efforts to protect this cultural heritage and pass it on to future generations.
Ruaa al-Jazaeri
