A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

War Damage to the Temple of Bel at Palmyra

The Syrian ruins of ancient Palmyra have been one of the focal points where ancient ruins have found themselves in the midst of the ongoing civil war. The adjacent town (Tadmur) is in a region with several military bases, and there have been reports of danage to the ruins. This video purports to show shell damage to the Temple of Bel at Palmyra. There isn't really any narrative after the initial introduction other than a man saying "Allahu Akbar." Some reports have said there was a military position of some sort in the nearby medieval Arab castle. It really doesn't matter which side turns antiquities into battlegrounds: both Syria and the world lose either way.

The temple before the war:

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