TEMPLE OF BEL
PALMYRA CASTLE
ROMAN THEATRE
INTRODUCTION Palmyra, dubbed “City of Palms” by the Romans in the 1st century CE, refers to an ancient city situated roughly halfway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates River. Its geographical location in the south-central region of present-day Syria is largely the reason for its early role as a key connection point between the east and west. Due to its importance as a cultural center of the ancient world, the city has earned its place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During its long history, a multitude of cultures have inhabited the region including and surrounding Palmyra, subjecting it to periods of prosperity and growth as well as rebellion and destruction. It has existed as both an active player in trade and a deserted, ruinous city. This paper will focus largely on the historical significance of Palmyra and its consequent qualifications for its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It will explore the early life that shaped the site’s historical roots as well as the cultures that built what remains today as excavated ruins. Finally, this paper shall discuss events of the modern day that largely impact the character and physical state of the site. This shall determine the guidelines for an appropriate architectural intervention. Assuming a time of peace in Palmyra, the best architecture to introduce is that which will help to develop institutions for the future of the city. We will propose to build a hospital and a learning center that will put Palmyra on a path to a thriving future.
BATHS OF DIOCLETIAN
THE AGORA
ISSUES & CONTROVERSIES In 2015, Palmyra fell under the control of the Islamic State or Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). It frequently changed hands between the militia and the Syrian Army- who reclaimed the city on March 2nd 2017. However, while the region was under the hands of the ISIL, many artifacts and buildings were looted and damage by combatants. A number of Greco-Roman busts, jewelry, and other objects looted from the museum have been found on the international market. The widespread plundering has posed considerable damage to the ancient site. To give a brief overview of the events, most of the destruction started in 2013 and has been ongoing since. Several iconic buildings, such as the Temple of Bel, sustained significant damage from mortar fire which disintegrated several columns as well as created a large hole in the façade. The Temple of Ballshamin also sustained damage to its northern wall after the Syrian Airforce bombed the site in May 2015. Palmyra’s theater started being used as a venue for public executions by ISIL; on August 18 2015, ISIL beheaded retired antiquities chief Khaled al-Asaad, after he refused to give up information about the city and its treasures. Amidst the chaos, however, several artifacts were transferred from Palmyra museum to Damascus for safekeeping. Additionally, the Syrian government, with aid from Russian airstrikes, recaptured Palmyra on March 27, 2016. And according to initial reports, the damage to the archeological site was less extensive than anticipated- with numerous structures still standing.
The Persistence of history: culture, heritage and islamic architecture (ARCH 3370) professor christian a. hedrick, ph.d. board composed by: michelle chipimo & sarah soltes
THE ANCIENT CITY: PALMYRA, SYRIA
THE NEW AGE OF PALMYRA
TEMPLE OF BEL ARC RECONSTRUCTED IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE, LONDON
ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION
Ultimately, our proposal has multiple layers. The first is to introduce institutions including a hospital and learning center, the second is to reconstruct several key ruins which have been demolished (Temple of Bel, Roman Theatre, Castle), and the third is to introduce a digital reconstruction component to make further engagement with the ancient city possible. These methods of intervention will result in a stronger sense of local identity as well as an increased tourist base and will strengthen the future of Palmyra. The ability to globally share digital replications of ancient sites such as Palmyra will help to maintain centuries of preservation work as those responsible for building such a knowledge base are themselves made targets of the destruction.
DIGITAL RECONSTRUCTION
3D MODEL VIEWS OF TEMPLE OF BEL DIGITAL RECONSTRUCTION
Another method of reconstruction to consider in the modern age is digital reconstruction. While not all of the structures may be able to physically be restored and rebuilt, the technology is available to construct the site digitally and have people interact with it that way. This would be available in the aforementioned learning center as another form of engaging with the ancient city. Efforts to reconstruct the site have already begun. There are ongoing digital archaeology projects that collect data from international partners, analyze it, and create a reconstruction of palmyra in a virtual space. There is much cultural collaboration going on between archaeologists, artists, and architects to construct these models and create the exhibition experiences celebrating the cultural heritage of Syria. There are already models available at www.newpalmyra.org that allow for access to 3D models of structures. There is one of the temple of Bel that is interactive, and one can orbit about the model using a mouse or trackpad. According to the site, the model is 30% complete, but already looks incredibly detailed. They also have a model of the Roman Theatre that is 15% done.