Prof. Maamoun Abdulkarim: World Heritage at Risk
In April 2023, Prof. Maamoun Abdulkarim published his 238-page book entitled “World Heritage at Risk: The Ancient Villages of Northern Syria before and during the crisis of 2011–2021”.
The book includes 6 chapters that focus on the geographical framework and history of discoveries and archaeological studies in the Limestone Massif, ancient villages and architectural buildings in it, registration of the ancient villages on the world heritage list, and damage to cultural heritage in ancient villages during the Syrian Crisis.
The goal of publishing the book is to provide valuable information about the unique Ancient Villages in Northern Syria dating back to Roman and early Byzantine periods and will protect this precious cultural heritage, according to Prof. Abdulkarim.
The professor prefaces the book by shedding light on the importance of the ancient villages of northern Syria by saying: “ The Ancient Villages of Northern Syria are the most recent of Syria’s six World Heritage Sites (WHS). Nominated in 2011, this ensemble collection of forty or so villages spread over eight archaeological parks along a 100km range of limestone mountains, is in complete contrast to its fellow WHS, which are compactly defined as either historic cities (Aleppo, Bosra, Damascus or Palmyra) or medieval castles (Crac des Chevaliers & Qal’at Salah El-Din), but the Ancient Villages are deserved members of the WHS club.”
These villages, also known as the dead cities, contain a truly impressive range of archaeological monuments, ancient buildings and cultural landscapes. Dating primarily from the first to the 7th century CE, these settlements and their farming hinterland are a remarkable testimony to the occupation and utilisation of Syria’s mountainous north west region. Between them they tell a story of the initial rural settlement and exploitation of land, of the transition from the classical Roman world to its Byzantine and Islamic successors, and of the change from paganism to Christianity and Islam.
They are also remarkable because of their exceptional preservation. Largely abandoned between the 8th and 10th centuries as the Arab conquest brought with it both a shift in power and of trade routes, the Villages reveal a snapshot of an earlier time, one unencumbered by later development.
While the Ancient Villages represent a unique snapshot in time, change has always impacted upon the abandoned settlements; indeed, some were never completely abandoned, but adapted and reused. Others witnessed the growth of modern villages nearby, or were quarried for building material, and all have undergone the natural weathering of time.
The Directorate-General of Antiquities & Museums (DGAM), the Syrian state heritage service, has worked alongside international bodies, such as the French Institute for the Near East (IFPO) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), to carry out architectural surveys and excavations. The purpose of such research has been twofold: first, to contribute to our understanding of this important World Heritage Site for academic and management purposes; and, second, to protect the villages from further destruction and loss.
“UNESCO’s World Heritage List acknowledges the contribution the Ancient Villages of Northern Syria make to heritage at a regional and global level. Even today, the Arab region has few natural sites and cultural landscapes registered on the World Heritage List. Furthermore, the list currently contains no examples representing life in the countryside at the end of the Roman and Byzantine eras; within this context, the Ancient Villages of Northern Syria are unique. Located in the eastern Mediterranean, Syria is blessed with well-preserved ruins from all periods of its history.”The professor, who occupied the position of Director General of Antiquities & Museums (2012-2017), said: “ Syria’s Ancient Villages represent a unique moment in humankind’s history – one worthy of conservation for future generations.
They also offer us lessons from the past, both on the development of farming communities in the classical period, and of their demise. The impact of the Syrian Crisis on the Ancient Villages will doubtless offer still further lessons on the effect of war on heritage. But, significantly, the Crisis also tells us something of the invaluable role of local and national champions in protecting such places during the worst of times and presages their essential contribution in healing the physical scars of conflict in the future.”
Although there are similar examples in Syria, none have original monuments and buildings in such a good state of preservation as the villages of the limestone cluster in Northern Syria. The basalt mountains of al-Hoss and Shabith, a dry region that extends south and east of the Limestone Massif from Aleppo to Hama, contains settlements of the same period. Here, villages such as Khanasser, Anastraatha, Kraten and al-Andrin (Androna), which date from the Roman and Byzantine periods, are roughly the same size as their northern counterparts, but are built mainly from basalt stone. Archaeological studies at the Andrian site have been carried out for many years by various international teams, more recently by the Syrian Department of Antiquities and the Oxford Project headed by Dr Marlia Mango. Elsewhere the classical buildings on the plains of Antioch and Chalkis immediately to the east and west of the Limestone Massif may date to the same period, but we cannot be certain because evidence has been lost during their continuous occupation through and beyond the Byzantine period, and the subsequent destruction of the earlier heritage by later activity.
Prof. Abdulkarim in addition indicated that the ongoing Syrian Crisis of 2011 has brought about a scale of change not seen before. “War and terrorism have had a hugely negative impact on this rich archaeological heritage, including destruction and damage during the war, looting by treasure hunters, quarrying of stone and illegal construction of houses and buildings, while the influx of refugees has brought unexpected management issues. The effect of the earthquake which struck the region on 6th February 2023 led to a tragic loss of life, and will have undoubtedly caused yet more damage to the fabric of the Villages.”
The professor affirmed that the professional and local community exerts efforts to address the theft of ancient stonework for crushing, sale and use in the modern construction market, and to prevent illegal excavation in some archaeological sites through raising community awareness.
He concluded by saying: “The overarching ambition for the Ancient Villages is to protect these important parts of our cultural heritage so that future generations may be able to enjoy them.”
Basma Qaddour