Cultural cleansing is defined by the Oxford dictionary as “The eradication of the customs, language, etc., of a particular group, especially through official or legal measures.” ISIS’s attacks on cultural sites such as Palmyra, Syria have been labeled by Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO, as “an attack on cultural diversity that combines the destruction of monuments and the persecution of people,” and that when they look to solve these conflicts, they can no longer separate the destruction of cultural sites and people themselves (Bokova 289). The destruction is not a casualty of the armed conflict, ISIS is systematically and strategically destroying these monuments to spread fear and destabilize the Syrian population by eliminating their history and culture (Bokova 291). This loss of cultural heritage is certainly helping ISIS attain their desired effect, but these sites may still be salvaged.

 

The use of satellite imagery, 3D printing and imaging and carving technologies can aid in the preservation of damaged or destroyed historic structures lost to the cultural war in Syria. Particularly in Palmyra, Syria, a historic site that has lost multiple structures dating back to the first and second century BCE, 3D and satellite technologies can help restore what has already been lost.

 

ISIS occupied the area surrounding the city of Palmyra for a roughly fifteen months, from May 2015 to March 2016 and again from December 2016 to March 2017 (Danti, et al. 12). During the time they occupied this area, ISIS planted explosive devices at different archaeological and heritage sites, demolishing many ancient structures, including the Baalshamin Temple, a second century structure, the Temple of Bel, a first century structure, various sites at the Valley of the Tombs just outside of the city and the Monumental Arch of Palmyra, a third century structure more popularly known as the Arch of Triumph (Danti, et al. 12-13). In light of this destruction, museums and other institutions who seek to preserve cultural history were scrambling to find a solution.

 

Although the group isn’t necessarily affiliated with a museum or preservation institute, UNESCO is doing work to raise awareness of the cultural destruction and is putting legislation together that will attempt to stop cultural looting. Resolution 2199, passed by UNESCO in February 2015, “condemns the destruction of cultural heritage and adopted legally binding measures to counter the illicit trafficking of antiquities and cultural objects in Iraq and Syria” (Bokova 293). In addition to this legislation, the organization has vowed to “rehabilitate, reconstruct, and restore collections in museums in order to reconnect people with their heritage” and to train curators so they can “work to repair and restore the antiquities and artifacts that have been pillaged or damaged in the wake of combat and occupation by violent extremists” (Bokova 294). With organizations as large as this already willing to help, introducing new technology like satellite imaging and 3D printing, imaging and carving won’t be an insurmountable task for museums and other cultural institutions to start on. However, not many museums have hopped on board with this technology and have instead turned to more traditional methods of preservation.

 

The first solution many institutions jumped to was buying up cultural artifacts to safely hold them in their collection and keep them from harm. However, there are a number of issues that arise when institutions attempt to save objects this way. First, buying cultural artifacts found in Syria and nearby countries can inadvertently fund activities carried out by ISIS. There is mounting evidence that ISIS has been looting historic and archaeological sites on an “industrial scale,” and that the sales of these artifacts help fund the groups terror activities (Bauer 2). UNESCO has estimated that the profits from ISIS’s trafficking of these artifacts vary from $9 billion to $10 billion annually. (Bokova 292). It has been reported that more than 3,000 sites were looted in the first four years of the Syrian conflict, and by continuing to buy these artifacts institutions inadvertently encourage this looting by making the sale of artifacts a viable source of income for the terror organization (Hadingham). Another unforeseen side effect of buying up artifacts from this area of the world is that once the conflict is over, the people left in these war-torn countries won’t have access to what little artifacts have survived the conflict. These people have suffered enough loss, buying and holding hostage the bits and pieces of their history that still remains would be cruel. Additionally, one cannot buy what has already been destroyed, and many of these artifacts are in pieces.

 

Buying up artifacts is not a viable or useful option given these facts, but there is still a solution. Implementing the use of satellite imagery, 3D printing and imaging and carving technologies can help keep a record of what may be lost and replicate sites that are already destroyed beyond repair.

 

One company that is already working with 3D imaging technology to preserve cultural sites is Iconem. Iconem is a Parisian group of architects, mathematicians and designers that are working together to digitally document threatened ancient sites (Ulbermann). The group creates 3D models of endangered sites using photos taken of each site before it was damaged and store the models online so they can be saved for research and admiration (Ulbermann). In Syria, they have already documented the Umayyad Mosque, Ugarit, Jableh theater, the Krak des chevaliers, the Temple of Bel, the Citadel of Palmyra, the Latakia museum, Amrit, Masyaf Castle, the Citadel of Salah Ed-Din, and the antiquities museum of Palmyra (Ulbermann). Currently, they are working on documenting five more sites in Syria alone (Ulbermann). Iconem has also documented historical sites in France, Afghanistan, Oman and other countries (Ulbermann). Visitors to their website can click on a structure or area to focus on, and from there they are able to pull up 3D models of the documented sites on their own personal computer. Yves Ulbermann, the founder and CEO of Iconem, has dubbed his project a “war of images” in response to ISIS’s trail of destruction, saying “the terrorists were uploading videos with them blowing up monuments and smashing statues to manipulate public opinion. We felt the best response was to magnify the pictures of these places and show their splendor and their importance to the culture” (Ulbermann). Iconem’s method is a viable source for documentation because it is so easily accessible to users, and can effectively document some sites that are already lost, like the Temple of Bel. The armed conflict has kept people from appreciating these sites for years. By documenting these endangered sites and hosting these 3D models on their website, Iconem is not only helping to combat the destruction taking place in Syria, they are also increasing the audience the cultural sites can reach.

 

Another organization that is already working in the realm of 3D imaging technologies is the Institute for Digital Archaeology. The Institute is a joint venture between Harvard University, Oxford University and the Museum of the Future in Dubai (Basulto). The group is working on creating a “Million Image Database” which contains, of course, one million images of important architectural landmarks and structures throughout the Middle East and North Africa (Basulto). Working to preserve and restore some of the world’s most important sites and landmarks, the Institute stands at the forefront of the development and use of 3D digital imaging and robotic carving technologies that are explicitly used for the conservation of heritage materials (The Institute for Digital Archaeology). The Institute acquires the images by handing out 5,000 3D cameras to volunteers, asking them to take photos of the historic landmarks (Basulto). Once they have enough images of a site, the Institute can then create design files that allow these structures to be 3D carved or printed.

 

In 2016, the Institute made the news when they created a one-third size replica of the 2,000-year-old Monumental Arch of Palmyra for UNESCO’s World Heritage Week (The Institute for Digital Archaeology). Made in Shanghai and finished in Italy, the structure was made using a proprietary cement mixture and a 3D carving arm to attain the approximate composition and density of the original arch (Basulto). The replica was displayed at Trafalgar Square in London and at City Hall Park in New York City (The Institute for Digital Archaeology). The executive director of the Institute for Digital Archaeology, Roger Michael, states that the reconstructions of these lost monuments are made “out of respect for the history and heritage these objects represent-- a history and heritage that informs the art and architecture that beautifies our cities, the science and technology that eases and improves our lives, and the literature and philosophy that gives us a deeper understanding of our world and ourselves” (The Institute for Digital Archaeology). Considering the success the Institute for Digital Archaeology has already had with their 3D recreations, and the growing access to 3D printing and imaging technologies, it wouldn’t be impossible for more institutions to create and use digital recreations. Replicas to the exact size and scale of the original site may not be entirely feasible, or the right solution, but creating more replicas on a smaller scale like the Monumental Arch replica is possible and plausible.

 

Another organization that is attempting to document there endangered heritage sites is the American Schools of Oriental Research. ASOR established the Cultural Heritage Initiatives project in 2014 to address the cultural heritage crises in Syria and Northern Iraq (Danti, et al. 1). The core missions of the Cultural  Heritage Initiatives are “monitoring and fact-finding activities, disseminating results to the United States Department of State and the public, implementing emergency response projects, developing post-conflict rehabilitation plans, and producing public outreach and education initiatives” (Danti, et al. 2). The organization does this by synthesizing data collected by its international network of heritage experts and analysts using news outlets, social media, on the ground contacts and satellite imaging (Danti, et al. 2). In the first year of operation, ASORs Cultural Heritage Initiatives recorded 722 heritage attacks in Syria and the project continues to find new incidents of damage on a daily basis (Hadingham). They can confirm or debunk reports of cultural destruction from social media, ISIS propaganda and on the ground informants as well as uncover new instances of destruction that would otherwise go unreported through this technology. When the Baalshamin Temple and the Temple of Bel fell, the Cultural Heritage Initiatives confirmed the destruction and was able to verify that it wasn’t just a lie ISIS perpetuated in an attempt at generating mass hysteria (Danti, et al. 12). They were also able to identify the destruction in the Valley of the Tombs, which was previously unknown prior to the Cultural Heritage Initiatives discovery (Danti, et al. 13).

 

The technology used by the ASORs Cultural Heritage Initiatives project could be extremely helpful when paired with 3D imaging, printing and carving technologies. When trying to decide what sites to document, the Institute for Digital Archaeology or Iconem could refer to the Cultural Heritage Initiatives to see what sites may be at the highest risk of destruction and make a decision using that information.

 

There are many benefits of working with these aforementioned technologies aside from general preservation. In addition to preserving what is already lost, the use of satellite imaging can protect people from having to monitor damage from the ground. Through satellites, we can access sites that are considered too dangerous for a person to access, such as in active combat zones or archaeological sites occupied by military forces or criminal gangs (Danti, et al. 6). The combination of satellites and 3D technologies when used for replication can also increase the accessibility to these historic sites. More people will be able to see these sites without having to travel across the world or venture into a war zone. Circulating these models via the Internet can “generate important social relationships and promote values of sharing and understanding, in addition to increasing the chances that at least some examples of each culture’s heritage will survive into the next century” (Bauer 4). It can also help negate issues of cultural looting. If institutions stop buying artifacts from ISIS, they will no longer see looting as a viable capital source, which would deter them from looting these sites. 3D replications can also alleviate issues with repatriation because the 3D imaging technology can allow for more than one museum to possess an artifact. Will both museums have an entirely authentic artifact? No, but education should take precedence to authenticity in the case of lost and damaged items.

 

The largest and overall benefit of using these technologies is 3D models and recreations can help reduce the loss of heritage in this war-torn area. It can restore what has been lost without having to further alter the already damaged site, preserving both the historic object and the current history so the violence of ISIS and the loss the group has caused won’t be forgotten. We can’t erase the violence that was perpetrated in these areas, it is just as much a part of the history of Palmyra as the ancient structures are. If we have the 3D printed or carved artifacts displayed alongside the rubble, for example, both eras of history can be effectively displayed and remembered.

 

Allison Cuneo,  an ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives project worker, set up the situation best when she said, “Palmyra is no longer simply a tourist site. ISIS child soldiers carried out executions in the amphitheater and left behind a mass grave of civilians. How can clean-up and restoration efforts pay homage to that fact” (Hadingham). 3D and satellite technologies can help restore what is lost, but it doesn’t mean we need to, or should, forget about their destruction. By making these recreations and placing them next to the destruction so both histories are preserved, we can make the site a memorial and, hopefully, learn from the violence perpetrated by ISIS.

 

Those working in the museum world may be hesitant to adopt these methods of preservation because it goes directly against the main pillar of many collections: authenticity. However, when trying to preserve items and sites that are endangered or already lost, authenticity must take a backseat to education. If we want future generations to be able to learn about the Monumental Arch or the Temple of Baalshamin, providing 3D images and recreations is the best thing a museum can do. A physical reproduction or a realistic 3D digital model can provide people with more extensive knowledge about the lost structures than a 2D photo ever could. These technologies won’t stop cultural destruction in its tracks, but utilizing 3D technologies and satellite imagery can at least offer a solution to the seemingly insurmountable problem faced by cultural historians and preservationists.

 

Work Cited

Basulto, Dominic. “How 3D printers can help undo the destruction of ISIS.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 7 Jan. 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2016/01/07/how-3d-printers-can-help-undo-the-destruction-of-isis/?utm_term=.b27d644592d3.

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Bauer, Alexander A. "Editorial: The Destruction of Heritage in Syria and Iraq and its Implications." International Journal of Cultural Property, vol. 22, no. 1, 2015, pp. 1-6, ABI/INFORM Collection; Art, Design & Architecture Collection; ProQuest Central Essentials; Research Library, http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.rit.edu/docview/1675122015?accountid=108.

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Bokova, Irina. "Culture on the Front Line of New Wars." The Brown Journal of World Affairs, vol. 22, no. 1, 2015, pp. 289-296, ABI/INFORM Collection; Social Science Premium Collection, http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.rit.edu/docview/1783018504?accountid=108.

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Danti, Michael, et al. “The American Schools of Oriental Research Cultural Heritage Initiatives: Monitoring Cultural Heritage in Syria and Northern Iraq by Geospatial Imagery.” Geosciences, vol. 7, no. 4, 2017, p. 95., doi:10.3390/geosciences7040095.

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Hadingham, Evan. “The Technology That Will Resurrect ISIS-Destroyed Antiquities.” Nova Next, PBS: Public Broadcasting Service, 9 June 2016, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/ancient/digital-preservation-syria/.

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The Institute for Digital Archaeology, Dubai Future Foundation and British Council, digitalarchaeology.org.uk/our-purpose.

 

Ulbermann, Yves. “Iconem.” Iconem, Iconem, iconem.com/.