Borrowing the model of the palimpsest, George’s The Umayyad Mosque of Damascus: Art, Faith and Empire in Early Islam takes the reader on a vivid tour of the renowned mosque’s history, meaning, and significance.
Syria
Posted inNews
Stunning Roman Mosaic Unearthed in Syria
The discovery marks the first major archaeological discovery since the beginning of Syria’s civil war.
Posted inOpinion
The Louvre Shouldn’t Exhibit Trafficked Antiquities from Libya and Syria
The museum forgets that it is already a violent graveyard of colonial-era cultural trophies removed from their homelands under dubious circumstances.
Posted inNews
In New Jersey, an Unlikely Monument to the Syrian and Armenian Communities
Bryan Zanisnik’s “Silk Monument” features archival images to honor the contributions of Syrian and Armenian migrants who worked in New Jersey silk mills.
Posted inArt
The Getty Revisits Ancient Palmyra, but the Modern City Is Mostly Invisible
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.
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.
Posted inIn Brief
An Oscar Nominee May Be Unable to Attend the Ceremony Due to Trump’s Travel Ban
Syrian director Feras Fayyad, whose film The Cave is nominated for Best Documentary Feature, is the latest high-profile artist experiencing visa troubles.
Posted inNews
An American Photojournalist is Suing a Qatari Bank for Allegedly Aiding His Kidnappers in Syria
Matthew Schrier, who was captured by Al-Nusra Front in 2012, is accusing Qatar Islamic Bank of directly funding a charity that funneled money to terrorist groups in Syria.
Posted inArt
Capturing the Syrian War From a Woman’s Perspective
For Sama directors Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts talk to Hyperallergic about turning al-Kateab’s many hours of personal footage into a documentary.
Posted inArt
Forensic Architecture Joins Journalists to Depict Syria’s Use of Chemical Weapons
Investigative journalism website Bellingcat, with the help of research group Forensic Architecture, seeks to put an end to the theories that the harrowing chemical attack against civilians in April 2017 was a “false-flag operation.”
Posted inNews
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 inArt
Using Holograms to Bring the Syrian Conflict Into Daily Life
Artist Asad J. Malik’s project uses augmented reality to bring the Syrian conflict into everyday living spaces.