Syria- Palmyra( Tadmor)
Haldimann explains that illicit trade, especially from Arab countries, continues due to demand.“ The UNESCO Convention and national laws clearly require documented provenance, and most Arab countries have strict legislation based on the 1906 Ottoman-era rules, which severely penalize private possession of antiquities. The real challenge is enforcement,” he says, which is even harder during conflict.“ In all cases, the market must take responsibility and exercise careful due diligence.”
MODERN MOTIVATIONS AND DESTRUCTION
But what changed in the 21st century, Haldimann observes,“ is the scale and political calculation of destruction. Groups such as ISIS understood that the world places enormous symbolic value on museums and antiquities. By targeting sites like Mosul Museum or Palmyra, they exploited this fascination to send a shockwave far beyond the region.”
In 2015, ISIS militants filmed themselves ransacking Mosul Cultural Museum( MCM), Iraq, smashing statues and
“ Destroying a museum, a religious place, or an archaeological site is a way to erase collective memory, and the loss is devastating for communities.”- Bénédicte de Montlaur( World Monuments Fund CEO)
destroying thousand-year-old artefacts. That same year, they targeted Syria’ s Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, blowing up its 2000-year-old temples, including the Temple of Bel and Baalshamin. By the time they were expelled in March 2017, most of Palmyra’ s treasures had been damaged, including its museum. Bénédicte de Montlaur, president and CEO of World Monuments Fund( WMF), says heritage is often deliberately destroyed because it embodies a people’ s culture and identity.“ ISIS’ s destruction and looting of the Mosul Cultural Museum was intended to sever Iraqis from some of their most important ancient heritage, including Assyrian, Hatrene, and Islamic collections.” Beyond the
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