Littérature scientifique sur le sujet « Islamic antiquities – syria »

AbstractThe Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) occupied the city of Manbij and its countryside from 23 January 2014 until 12 August 2016. During this period, the region suffered greatly as ISIS monopolized control and brutally imposed its ideology. Fierce battles were fought for the control of oil wells, bakeries, mills, dams, and power stations, all of which were sources of revenue. Antiquities were soon recognized as another potential income source. This article demonstrates the ways in which ISIS began to administer and facilitate the looting of antiquities through the Diwan Al-Rikaz. Within this diwan, ISIS established the Qasmu Al-Athar, which was specifically responsible for looting antiquities. Based on interviews conducted in 2015 and primary documents, this article studies the specific ways in which ISIS facilitated the quarrying and looting of antiquities in Manbij and the rich archaeological sites of its countryside. Further, by examining the damage at a previously undocumented archaeological site, Meshrefet Anz, the looting of antiquities under the direct supervision of the Diwan Al-Rikaz is studied. Using documentary evidence including ISIS’s internal documentation as well as photographs collected by the author between 2014 and 2016, the article demonstrates the methods used by ISIS, reveals its financial motivations, and bears witness to the damage done at specific Syrian heritage sites.

The vast destruction of the heritage sites in Syria and Iraq caused by the activities of ISIS may not only be attributed to fanatical iconoclasm with a religious background. The ideologists of the jihad movements in the so-called Islamic State intend to introduce one, unified version of Islam. In their world, there is no place for democracy, secularity, nationalism (even for patriotism) and other “abominations” of the West. Monuments which constituted elements of local traditions were destroyed with the application of huge resources. In the face of the tragedy of people, considerations in the field of broadly conceived culture may only supplement a description of unspeakable tragedies which were caused by the wars in the Near East. However, we may examine this question in such a way as not to separate the people from their heritage, for a human being is an integral part of his or her culture. “This isn’t a choice between people or stone,” said Deborah Lehr, chair of Antiquities Coalition. “Culture is part of who these people are, and this, ironically, is the cradle of civilization.”. Due to the situation which occurred, the stock-taking and digitalisation of artefacts and architectural monuments assumes huge significance. These proceedings should be also conducted with the use of the most recent methods of satellite teledetection.

The article presents a study of Qasr al-Khair al-Sharqi, an architectural monument built during the Umayyad era based on the results of two significant archaeological missions: the 1956 research campaign organized by George Forsyth, and a joint project of the Syrian group and the Syrian-Swiss mission working under the auspices of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums of Syria and the Swiss-Liechtenstein Archaeological Foundation research abroad (SLFA – Zurich). The activity of scientists in the archaeological project allowed to expand knowledge about the Umayyad settlement in Qasr al-Khair al-Sharqi, and also highlighted the historical importance of the medieval re-settlement of this place between the XII and XIV centuries. Qasr al-Khair al-Sharqi is one of the so–called "castles in the desert" of the Umayyads, a term applied to a number of fortified sites dating back to the early period of Islam. It certainly represents one of the most impressive and best preserved secular monuments of the early Islamic period. The castle is located about 110 km northeast of Palmyra in the Syrian steppe lands near the crossroads of the ancient routes linking the caravan city of Palmyra with Rusafa and Raqqa in the upper reaches of the Syrian Euphrates, on the one hand, and with Deir ez-Zour, Jazira and lower Mesopotamia, on the other. After some ground-based research, this place was discovered during the 1956 Middle East exploration campaign organized by George Forsyth. Since then, the Syrian group has been carrying out excavations and restoration work there. More recently, this work has turned into a joint project of the Syrian group and the Syrian-Swiss mission, working under the auspices of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums of Syria and the Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad (SLFA – Zurich). Представлено исследование Каср аль-Хайр аль-Шарки, архитектурного памятника, построенного в период эпохи Омейядов по результатам двух значимых археологических миссий: исследовательская кампания 1956 г., организованная Джорджем Форсайтом, и совместный проект сирийской группы и сирийско-швейцарской миссии, работающей под эгидой Главного управления древностей и музеев Сирии и Швейцарско-Лихтенштейнского фонда археологических исследований за рубежом (SLFA – Z¨urich). Деятельность ученых в археологическом проекте позволила расширить знания о поселении Омейядов в Каср аль-Хайр аль-Шарки, а также обозначила историческую важность средневекового повторного заселения этого места в период между XII и XIV вв. Каср аль-Хайр аль-Шарки – один из так называемых «замков в пустыне» Омейядов, термин, применяемый к ряду укрепленных мест, относящихся к раннему периоду ислама. Он, безусловно, представляет собой один из самых впечатляющих и лучше всего сохранившихся светских памятников раннего исламского периода. Замок расположен примерно в 110 км к северо-востоку от Пальмиры в сирийских степных землях недалеко от перекрестка древних путей, связывающих караванный город Пальмиру с Русафой и Раккой в верховьях сирийского Евфрата, с одной стороны, и с Дейр-эз-Зауром, Джазирой и нижней Месопотамией, – с другой. После некоторых наземных исследований это место было обнаружено во время исследовательской кампании 1956 г. на Ближнем Востоке, организованной Джорджем Форсайтом. С тех пор сирийская группа проводила там раскопки и восстановительные работы. Совсем недавно эта работа превратилась в совместный проект сирийской группы и сирийско-швейцарской миссии, работающей под эгидой Главного управления древностей и музеев Сирии и Швейцарско-Лихтенштейнского фонда археологических исследований за рубежом (SLFA – Z¨urich).

Abstract:In recent years, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)1 as well as several Al-Qaida affiliates have used the systematic and large-scale looting of antiquities as one of their income streams. Due to the large-scale and organized looting activities of these groups, in particular, in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), following various reports and recommendations by the ISIL, Al-Qaida and Taliban Monitoring Team has adopted a range of measures, chiefly among them the landmark UNSC Resolution 2347 (2017) to counter this threat. These measures demand that both member states’ regulators as well as private sector stakeholders take specific action to ensure that the art and antiquity trading industry is capable of defending itself against the misuse of their services to finance terrorism. This article outlines the various challenges member states and private industry are facing in this regard and explains how the various new UNSC provisions, including the measures outlined in UNSC Resolution 2347 (2017), could be employed effectively to counter this threat.

The study took upon itself the task of correcting the historical information that spoke about the Arabian Peninsula, and about the life of the pre-Islamic people in it, relying on the field study of the place, and the mental analysis of the antiquities, benefiting from the pre-Islamic poetry, and took from the ancient sources what agreed with its conditions, and approached objectivity in the transmission of pre-Islamic poetry, And his criticism, and the study benefited from environmental data, geographical features, and poetic narrations in order to clarify what it intended to clarify from the facts related to that life and that place. The study showed the reasons for the turmoil of the ancient authors regarding the pre-Islamic period regarding the issues of determining the places settled by the pre-Islamic tribes, and where the poets lived. On the hunt, mixed with travel. The study proved that the pre-Islamic people were concentrated in non-desert regions that were sufficient for their living, as these livable regions cover an area larger than the area of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Tunisia combined, and the study focused on the south of the island, which occupies a large area

« L'univers visuel Umayyade : les reliefs ornementaux de Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī conservés dans les réserves de la Direction Générale des Antiquités et des Musées syriens » se présente en 2 volumes : le volume I qui est le manuscrit qui résume l’ensemble des recherches est composé en 2 parties : la première partie, intitulée « Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī : histoire et architecture » et la deuxième partie intitulée « Vers un nouveau regard sur le programme décoratif et représentatif de Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī ». Le volume II qui est un catalogue qui présente l’iconographie de notre étude par l’apport de photos et d’objets et de sites. Depuis 1936, quand Daniel Schlumberger a commencé ses fouilles dans le site de Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī, et jusqu’à maintenant, les milliers de fragments intégrés dans le corpus du programme décoratif du palais d’al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī n’ont pas pu être intégralement identifiés pour les mettre à la disposition des chercheurs. Nous tenterons donc de répondre du mieux possible sur l’origine des concepteurs et artisans qui ont réalisé ce programme décoratif impressionnant, sur les techniques et les matériaux utilisés, sur la symbolique des détails des motifs ornementaux, etc. Nos recherches montrent que le programme ornemental de Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī appelle à la sérénité, il est achevé, varié et riche artistiquement. L’objectif de ces deux volumes repose sur le témoignage d’une rencontre entre deux cultures et la relation exceptionnelle qui s’est instaurée entre les nouveaux arrivants et les autochtones, dont on peut mesurer l’héritage à Bilād al-Sām. À la fois une relation consensuelle bilatérale d’exception et une évolution culturelle remarquables
"The Umayyad visual universe: the ornamental reliefs of Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī preserved in storage of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums" comes in 2 volumes: volume I which is the manuscript that summarizes all the research. It is composed of two parts: the first part, entitled « Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī :history and architecture" and the second part entitled "Towards a new look at the decorative and representative program of Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī". Volume II is a catalog that presents the iconography of our study by adding photos of objects and sites. Since 1936, when Daniel Sclumberger began his excavations in the Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī site, and until now, the thousands of fragments embedded in the corpus of the decorative program of the palace of al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī could not be fully identified to make them available to researchers. We will try to answer as possible about the origin of the designers and craftsmen who realized this impressive decorative program, on the techniques and the materials used, on the symbolic details of the ornamental motifs, etc. Our research will show that Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī’s ornamental program calls for serenity, without any sign of violence and war, it is completed, varied and artistically rich. The objective of these two volumes is based on the testimony of a meeting between two cultures and the exceptional relationship that has developed between newcomers and natives, whose legacy can be measured in Bilād al-Sām. Both an exceptional bilateral consensual relationship and a remarkable cultural evolution

Cette thèse consiste en une étude historique et archéologique de la ville de Masyaf (Syrie) et de son château durant les XIIe et XIIIe siècles, alors qu’elle se trouvait sous l'autorité de la communauté ismaʿilienne nizârite. Cette ville, qui se situe sur le versant oriental de la montagne côtière de la Syrie occidentale, est connue comme siège et capitale de cette communauté. La présente recherche porte sur le développement de cette minorité religieuse syrienne, connue en Occident durant les Croisades comme celle des Assassins (ou Hachchachines en arabe). L’Etat qu’elle a fondé a joué un rôle important dans le conflit politique et militaire qui a opposé Croisés et Musulmans. Le travail offre pour la première fois une étude archéologique approfondie des bâtiments et des complexes architecturaux qui forment le tissu de la ville de Masyaf et participent à sa configuration ; il analyse le rempart et ses portes, les rues principales qui dessinent le plan urbain, les monuments importants, en particulier la grande mosquée, le bain, le souq, les mausolées de plusieurs personnages historiques. Les résultats préliminaires de l'étude du château y sont également exposés de manière détaillée. Ils révèlent deux phases principales de construction : la première comprise entre le Xe siècle et le milieu du XIIe siècle, la deuxième comprise entre le milieu du XIIe siècle et la fin du XIIIe siècle, qui correspond à la période des Ismaʿiliens nizarites. Grâce à l’apport de la céramique, de la numismatique et de l’épigraphie, l’archéologie permet de mettre en évidence, pour la première fois, l'activité édilitaire de Rašid al-Din Sinan, le « Vieux de la montagne », entre 1162 à 1192
This thesis is a historical and archaeological study of the city of Masyaf (Syria) and its castle during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when it was under the authority of the Ismā'īlī.Nizari community. This city, which lies on the eastern slopes of the coastal mountains of Western Syria, is known as the seat and capital of this community. This research focuses on the development of a Syrian religious minority, known in the West during the Crusades as the Assassins (or Hachchachines in Arabic). The State she founded has played an important role in the political and military conflict between Crusaders and Muslims. The work provides for the first time a thorough archaeological survey of buildings and architectural complexes that form the fabric of the city of Masyaf and participate in its configuration; it analyzes the ramparts and gates, the main streets that draw the urban plan, important monuments, especially the great mosque, the bath, the suq, the mausoleums of several historical figures. Preliminary results of the study of the castle are also exposed in detail. They reveal two main phases of construction: the first between the tenth century and the mid-twelfth century, the second between the mid-twelfth century and the late thirteenth century, which is the period of Nizari Isma'ilis. Thanks to the contribution of ceramics, numismatics and epigraphy, archeology helps to reveal, for the first time, the building activity of Rasid al-Din Sinan, the "Old Man of the Mountain", between 1162-1192

AbstractTargeting and destroying Syria’s cultural heritage have become a common concern, especially in the case of Palmyra. The ruined city enjoyed a significant position in the country’s history and bore a large share of the violence in Syria’s protracted tragedy. Since 2014, militants of ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) have committed many acts of terrorism, claiming thousands of lives and shattering others, looting antiquities and destroying historic sites, including World Heritage sites. In 2015, ISIS extremists destroyed Palmyra’s major monuments, and, since then, this destruction has been the focus of debates on the academic and professional levels and in the media. This chapter has two parts. The first part briefly reviews Palmyra’s long history, in which monuments have been subject to selective narratives and official instrumentalisation. The second part looks at the current debates on Palmyra’s heritage loss in the light of the actual conflict, in which the local community has been unheeded. This chapter suggests that future efforts need to (re)consider the role of local communities in heritage debates and the right(s) to their heritage to bridge the discontinuity between the past and the future caused by the terrorism and conflict.