Lifecycles of cultural heritage in conflict Destruction, reconstruction and representation in Syria and Iraq

Over the past decade, cultural heritage has suffered the dramatic consequences of a revolutionary wave across the Middle East - the Arab Spring – which started first in Tunisia in December 2010. The ongoing conflicts in Syria and Iraq and the rise of non-state radical actors, such as the so-called the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Daesh), have highlighted the scale of destruction of cultural heritage. Meanwhile, international community has responded rapidly to this situation, particularly at places such as ancient cities of Aleppo and Mosul and the World Heritage Site of Palmyra. The vocal outcry in the West about such destruction reflects the perceived international significance of these monuments. In turn, these reactions generate funds for initiatives using modern technologies to reconstruct and rebuild damaged heritage assets.
There is no doubt that war instigates far-reaching change, from the social, economic and political organisation of the affected societies, through to the development of new approaches and techniques in post-conflict reconstruction. Post-conflict heritage reconstruction poses challenges for the post-war recovery of civil society and understanding of heritage values. Great effort is invested in innovative digital reconstruction and the development of new social and cultural narratives, yet destruction and reconstruction of heritage are both the major markers of the heritage’s lifecycle and hi(stories) during our contemporary times. Cultural heritage reconstruction should be approached as a long-term process. The physical rebuilding of monuments is just one stage, and an ill-conceived reconstruction can be as damaging as the original act of destruction.