Life in Palmyra did not stop in the third century but has gone on more or less continuously at the site for the 1,700 years since.
Palmyra
Posted inNews
Remains of Courageous Archaeologist Beheaded by ISIS Found in Syria
Khaled Al-Asaad was beheaded in 2015 after refusing to lead ISIS to ancient artifacts from Palmyra that he had hidden in a secure location.
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New Palmyra Agreement Demonstrates Russia’s Continuing Soft Power Influence on Syria
The two countries signed a memorandum on the restoration of monuments and artifacts in the ancient city.
Posted inIn Brief
Palmyra’s Ancient Lion of Al-lāt, Smashed by ISIS, Is Restored and Back On View
The 2,000-year old statue, which for decades greeted visitors to the Palmyra museum before it was smashed by ISIS militants, has been restored in Damascus.
Posted inArt
The Getty’s Online Palmyra Exhibition Falls into Orientalist Traps
A new online exhibition on the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra by the Getty Research Institute forgoes the city’s historical complexity to take an Orientalist approach.
Posted inArt
Tribute to Palmyra Is the Getty’s First-Ever Online Exhibition
Gathering a wealth of historical photographs, prints, and writing, the Getty offers the public a look at the legacy and allure of Palmyra.
Posted inIn Brief
Satellite Imagery Suggests ISIS Destroyed Two More Ancient Sites in Palmyra
The historic architecture of Palmyra continues to be destroyed by terror groups.
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Slick Replica of Palmyra’s Triumphal Arch Arrives in New York, Prompting Questions [UPDATED]
A replica of Palmyra’s ancient Arch of Triumph, built by Romans and destroyed last year by ISIS militants, is on a world tour.
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The West’s Empty Fetish for Ruins
Bloomington, IN. — If you live in Indianapolis and have a family, you’re probably familiar with Holliday Park, located among the elaborate homes of a wealthy north side neighborhood of the city.
Posted inArt
Why Do We Care About Palmyra So Much?
Why recreate Palmyra’s Triumphal Arch and set it up in Western capitals? Why perform European art music in the ancient theater? The organizers suggest that each event is a show of solidarity with Syrians, but these gestures — Western groups drawing attention to ancient remains, primarily for Western audiences — seem like odd ways to accomplish this. Is there another way to explain these events?
Posted inArt
Russia and Syria Use Palmyra as a Stage for Political Theater
Since its capture by ISIS in May of 2015, Palmyra has become a kind of archaeological fetish for the West.
Posted inNews
Aerial Photos of Palmyra Show Extent of Damage Done by ISIS
Working with the Syrian Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM), a team of digital surveyors have shared what it describes as some of the first images and videos to emerge from Palmyra since the ousting of ISIS in late March.