Heritage in the Crossfire

DPA PICTURE ALLIANCE / ALAMY

Today, the early Christian sites of the Aleppo Plateau have experienced widespread destruction caused mostly by the ravages of war. Forty of the largest settlements, grouped within eight archaeological parks, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2011, the year that the Syrian Civil War began. Less than two years later, they were at the top of the watchlist of World Heritage sites in danger. Northwest Syria was the epicenter of some of the most brutal and destructive battles in the conflict, and there was widespread looting and vandalism as well as intentional destruction. Far more tragically, thousands were killed or displaced, including most of the Christian population.

The future of the region is by no means secure, even though the war has been declared over. In northwest Syria, major sites have been damaged and neglected, and the Christian population has fled. Nevertheless, non-Christians who remain in the nearby villages are not disinterested in this heritage, and there was not much sectarian strife here before the war. Regardless of their religion, those who continue to live near these sites want to see them preserved and restored. They hope that the ancient sites will revive tourism, which in turn will increase stability and bring in much-needed resources.