A recent study has shed light on the daring archaeological rescue that saved approximately 30,000 priceless artifacts from the Deir ez-Zor Museum in Syria as the city fell to ISIS in 2014. The study, published in the journal Museum Management and Curatorship, details the rescue operation led by Maamoun Abdulkarim, the director-general of Syria's Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums at the time.
The Deir ez-Zor Museum held one of the country's most valuable collections, including ancient statues, jewelry, and cuneiform tablets. The artifacts were saved from the museum before it was captured by ISIS, and the rescue was part of a larger effort to relocate some 300,000 museum objects across Syria.
Abdulkarim, now a professor of archaeology and history at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, presented the rescue as a case study in protecting cultural heritage during wartime. In the study, he argued that carrying out such a rescue requires more than just logistical planning, but also decision-making, institutional resilience, trust, and the ability to adapt rapidly to changing circumstances.
The rescue was fraught with danger, as the museum was linked to a military airport by a narrow and highly vulnerable corridor. Abdulkarim noted that the rapid expansion of ISIS control in 2014 created a critical juncture, prompting Syrian antiquities authorities to accelerate efforts to safeguard museums in cities at risk of siege or collapse.
The study highlights the challenges of protecting cultural heritage during times of conflict, and Abdulkarim's experience serves as a model for future efforts to preserve historical artifacts in the face of war and instability.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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