ISIS and the destruction of World Heritage Sites

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RobertJ's picture
ISIS and the destruction of World Heritage Sites

In the news recently, it has been reported that ISIS has been actively destroying world heritage sites within their territory. These include; The Mosul Museum, ancient archaeological sites as Hatra and Nimrud.

I find it saddening that ISIS would destroy archeological sites thousands of years old without realizing that they are of the very early cultures that would have had a profound influence upon the creation and teachings of Islam, and, hypocritically, without realizing they are an integral part of their Muslim heritage.

As a classicist myself, I also find it more saddening that the rest of the world could just sit back and allow this to happen. As an absurd analogy, It would be like if Christians decided to destroy the parthenon, even though it is a marvel of architectural wonder, a symbol of human achievement, and even though ancient Greek philosophy had a profound impact on our culture, simply because the ancient Greeks worshiped Zeus instead of Christ.

On a deeper level, I find it sad because ISIS destroying archaeological sites, ancient art, artifacts, and monuments is just another way of time eroding the accomplishments and our acknowledgement of the past, even if through ignorance and aggression. As the great philosopher Bertrand Russell once said, 'Those who are ignorant of history believe that all of the issues of the day are new.' - And that is exactly the type of ignorance ISIS is trying to perpetuate among its followers.

Furthermore, I find it hard to believe that someone could stand before such an archeological site without stopping to take the time to ponder how people who lived even a few thousand years ago could have had the same feelings and even thoughts as one today, or how the very existence of such a site stands as a measure in the sands of time of how far humanity has come and the direction it is going. But no; down with the old, in with the new, in with ignorance, in with callous disregard, in with hate, in with narrow mindedness and anti-intellectualism.

I posted something about this on my Facebook page and got a comment to the extent of; "I find it far more disturbing that the rest of the world is sitting back and watching as they rape, mutilate, and murder large numbers of people."

The loss of life is one thing, the loss of world heritage sites another, though both are appalling. I don't know what is worse, the senseless killing, or the senseless destruction of historical sites that represent the heritage handed down from millions of people from the past. To destroy that heritage is to effectively wipe out any evidence that those millions of people ever existed; all of their influence, accomplishments, and works of inspiration, gone. It's a kind of retro-historic genocide of millions of people.

This is also the same group that, as we speak, are conspiring to and would stop at nothing to destroy the pyramids of Giza or the Vatican in Rome; the same people that would delight in blowing up the sistine chapel for it's Christian symbolism despite it's testament to human genius.

Historical sites such as Hatra and Nimrud could have been promoted as tourists sites to rake in millions of dollars for any smart government or group that happened to occupy their territory, but ISIS has shown that it is more interested in destruction and conquering, gaining a false sense of power simply because it is easier to destroy than to create.

Furthermore, regardless of our differences or beliefs, it is our culture and heritage as human beings that gives the life we live ample value and meaning. To destroy that shows callous disregard not only for life, but also what it means to be human.

your thoughts and reflections on this tragedy are welcomed.

- RJ

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watchman's picture
This is not a new phenomenon

This is not a new phenomenon I'm afraid....

see what the Taliban did in Afghanistan ...
link:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/mar/03/afghanistan.lukeharding

I've said it before....but at the risk of repeating myself ..... this current struggle ,despite appearances, is not between religions , not between civilisations , not between cultures.

This is part of the much older struggle between civilisation and barbarity.

Haven't you noticed that ISIS is always trying to push the limits .... always coming up with more and more outrageous acts ..... piling horror on horror .

Daring somebody to act ...... to put forces on the ground ...... to become hopelessly enmeshed in a Sunni/ Shia Armageddon.
A sort of Muslim Ragnorak .

RobertJ's picture
I like your analogy of a

I like your analogy of a struggle between civilization and barbarity.

It was only in the news this past week of how a Saudi Muslim Cleric, Sheikh Bandar al-Khaibari, was teaching his 'students' that the earth does not rotate. His 'proof' was a flawed thought experiment of how if a plane were flying to China and the earth were rotating it would never arrive there. He also teaches his students that the sun must therefore revolve around the earth. It's like a return to the dark ages.

I also found it a bit funny how when ISIS raided the Mosul Museum and smashed sculptures of so-called "false idols", they were too stupid to realize that many of the sculptures that they smashed were in fact just cheap copies of the originals. It's unfortunate that they all couldn't have been decoys, as many priceless and irreplaceable artifacts have been destroyed as well.

I felt like weeping seeing pictures of ISIS soldiers bulldozing Nimrud. Here's an ancient city 3000+ years old, even referenced in religious texts as the Quran and the Bible, an integral part of Muslim heritage, and once inhabited by the Middle Assyrian Empire. The ancient Assyrians made great intellectual strides and were remarkable astronomers. The ancient Assyrians invented the worlds first optical lenses, and it is even speculated among historians that they may have invented the worlds first telescope, as ancient Assyrian texts make reference to the rings of Saturn. Heck, even the ancient Assyrians probably understood that the earth is round, rotates, and isn't the center of the universe. But all of their great strides are now eroded and lost in the sands of time. If ISIS had a time machine and could go back in time to kill people, they would.

I am non-religious, but there is a quote that floats around amongst Christians that I feel makes a great analogy for this phenomenon; "The greatest feat the Devil ever accomplished is convincing man he didn't exist." Now if we take that as an analogy, we might interpret it as "The greatest feat that ignorance ever accomplished was convincing man that knowledge was permanent."

The crisis the world is facing is a crisis in education. Though ignorance is no excuse for barbarity, I'm not sure that the problem can be dealt with solely with military counter-action.

Jeff Vella Leone's picture
Dam, this is outrageous,

Dam, this is outrageous, before i used to think that no one deserves to die, but I am starting to have second thoughts now.

“War is what happens when language fails.”
― Margaret Atwood

You simply cannot reason with these people, and I wish nations take this matter more seriously.
Killing people in your own country is one thing but killing knowledge of the human history is an attack on the entire human race identity.

This is like blowing up the Statue of Liberty, it is an attack of who we are, our history and identity.

mysticrose's picture
I think the ISIS are taking

I think the ISIS are taking some kinds of drugs that made them think that they are more than humans. This group is filled with lunatic individuals, they should be abolished soon to protect everyone else.

cmallen's picture
They are school-yard bullies,

They are school-yard bullies, stupid and violent.

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