UNESCO World Heritage Site Might be destroyed by ISIS

I have been following the story that ISIS/ISIL has taken over the ancient town of Palmyra. In doing so, they have also taken into possession the ancient city ruins that define the area.
This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. They have no regard to such designations and their first target of destruction was the lion god statue:



If you are unfamiliar with the rest of the area, here is an example of what these extremists might demolish of this amazing site:







Aside from old relics and architecture, the people have been taken over. Here is a previous ATS thread about the human toll:

ISIS just captured ancient city of Palmyra in Syria including hospital and prison

The focus of this posting is to make people aware that an important site to human history is close to being destroyed in the hands of lunatics.
Please share your stories and pics if you had the priviledge of visiting this site.

Find out more about the Palmyra, Syria site:

Site of Palmyra

a reply to: Kratos40

IS are just expressions of how history repeats itself. I mean it's just a custom for new powers to destroy the symbols of the old power. Ancient Egyptians frequently defaced the power symbols of previous dynasties and where are all of our pagan sites of worship? They're all buried beneath churches, destroyed or worn away by nature.

Native American mounds and medicine wheels...going or gone.

For some reason, the Islamic State apparently made the decision not to destroy the heritage of Palmyra. Their public relations team have uploaded this video to show the ruins are still there:



Of course, when I say 'just expressions' I don't want to sound callous. One overbearing regime has been replaced by another and it seems like an horrendous way to live. For all the history symbolised by the monuments, they've basically watched over man's inhumanity to man for centuries. Given it's strategic location, Syria's been soaked in blood and conflict for most of its existence.

I'm frankly shocked and astounded that the ruins have lasted this long based on where they are at.

Yeah well Bermuda seems to be doing the same thing by bulldozing Mayan ruins.....

It is quite the beautiful site, shame I'll probably never get to visit there, at least not without getting beheaded.

originally posted by: Legman
I'm frankly shocked and astounded that the ruins have lasted this long based on where they are at.

Well wasn't Syria a pretty "civilized" country before, well, you know, those "rebels"?

a reply to: Rosinitiate

More or less, but that earth has seen a lot of battles in the last 2000 years.


Isis will indeed doze these relics if given the chance. Pretty sickening.

originally posted by: Legman
a reply to: Rosinitiate

More or less, but that earth has seen a lot of battles in the last 2000 years.


Isis will indeed doze these relics if given the chance. Pretty sickening.

Well than you'd think they make for an easy target, you know being out in the open, being predictable and all. I suppose they'll head over to their hotel in Baghdad when they're done. Come to think of it, why not build a shrine to ISIS in Syria next to these ruins?

I was under the impression that the reason so many American Sites have been signed over to Unesco is for protection. They arent much good at protecting these sites. From their website :Building intercultural understanding: through protection of heritage and support for cultural diversity. UNESCO created the idea of World Heritage to protect sites of outstanding universal value. - See more at: en.unesco.org...

a reply to: Kandinsky

Your position on this is very interesing. You avatar shows an endangered species. Yet, do you condone their massacre to obtain ivory?
Same here. We have an architecture here that is ancient. The understanding of math/physics used to build and construct this place is very valuable. ISIS/ISIL are the poachers of humanity. They want to recreate history into the new caliphate. Whatever that means to humanity.
The video you showed, is only to direct the architects of ISIS/ISIL on what to destroy next. The videos are for posterity.

a reply to: Rosinitiate

I think you meant Belize. All forgiven if you were drunk.

a reply to: Rosinitiate
You say wot m8?

a reply to: Legman

Me too! If Syria was not such a cluster F!, I would have gone there many years ago. Why can't they be like Jordan and allow us to visit a site like the Petra?
Seeing such wonders inpires the mind. It enriches us, all of us.
If this place gets destroyed like the artifacts in Iraq, I am going to lose faith in humanity. Where is the Iron Hand of Bashar? Is he just enjoying his last few presidential meals in Damascus? Does he not care because he can flee to his Villa in Switzerland or Italy?

a reply to: Rosinitiate

There will be no "shrine". Most likey, they will build a mosque with its minaret. Calling on all slaves to bow and submit to the new caliphate by proxy to Muhammed and his god.

Looking at the responses to this thread. Nobody cares. I am surprised and not surprised. I think it's a cultural thing.

a reply to: Kratos40

Interesting situation. It reminded me of Nicholas Wade's research published in 'A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History'. I recommend it, it's pretty well-researched.

Here is a part of it that applies to ISIS and other societal breakdowns worldwide:

How Societies Change to Fit Environment

Trust and aggression are two significant components of human social behavior whose underlying genetics have already been to some extent explored. There are many other aspects of social behavior, such as conformity to rules, the willingness to punish violators of social norms or the expectation of fairness and reciprocity, that most probably have a genetic basis, although one that remains to be discovered.

The fact that human social behavior is to some extent shaped by the genes means that it can evolve and that different kinds of society can emerge as the underlying social behaviors shift. Conversely, major changes in human society, such as the transition from hunter-gathering to settled life, were almost certainly accompanied by evolutionary changes in social behavior as people adapted to their new way of life.

(The words adapt and adaptation are always used here in the biological sense of a genetically based evolutionary response to circumstances.) There are two important factors to consider in the emergence of social change. One is that a society develops through changes in its institutions, which are blends of culture and genetically shaped social behavior. The other is that the genes and culture interact. This may seem paradoxical to anyone who considers genes and culture to be entirely separate realms. But it is scarcely surprising from an evolutionary perspective, given that the genome is designed to respond to the environment, and a major component of the human environment is society and its cultural practices.

The working components of a society are its institutions. Any socially agreed-upon form of behavior, from a tribal dance to a parliament, may be considered an institution. Institutions reflect both culture and history, but their basic building blocks are human behaviors. Follow an institution all the way down, and beneath thick layers of culture, it is built on instinctual human behaviors. The rule of law would not exist if people didn’t have innate tendencies to follow norms and to punish violators. Soldiers could not be made to follow orders were not army discipline able to invoke innate behaviors of conformity, obedience and willingness to kill for one’s own group.

So consider the intricate dynamics of the natural system in which the members of a human society are embedded. Their basic motivation is their own survival and that of their families. Unlike species that can only interact directly with their environment, people often do so through their society and its institutions. In responding to an environmental change, a society adjusts its institutions, and its members adjust to the new institutions by changing their culture in the short term and their social behavior in the long term.

originally posted by: Kratos40
a reply to: Rosinitiate

There will be no "shrine". Most likey, they will build a mosque with its minaret. Calling on all slaves to bow and submit to the new caliphate by proxy to Muhammed and his god.

It's not that nobody cares. To be frank, I remember the Talibin blowing up ancient Buddah and I was aghast, than I heard about Sumer, Babylon, etc and now this. Sadly, I already know these are sites my white ass will never get to visit. Unless of course my country somehow manages to incinerate (and they're trying) the people there without destroying these ancient wonders. Babylon is my number 1 place I want to see. Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanastan all hold ancient wonders....some of the best.

a reply to: Kratos40

This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. They have no regard to such designations and their first target of destruction was the lion god statue

i think...angry letter is in order.

originally posted by: Rosinitiate

originally posted by: Legman
a reply to: Rosinitiate

More or less, but that earth has seen a lot of battles in the last 2000 years.


Isis will indeed doze these relics if given the chance. Pretty sickening.

Well than you'd think they make for an easy target, you know being out in the open, being predictable and all. I suppose they'll head over to their hotel in Baghdad when they're done. Come to think of it, why not build a shrine to ISIS in Syria next to these ruins?

Perhaps ISIS will. Believe it or not... I actually cannot control their actions.

And to be honest I certainly don't care. Let the MS take care of itself and lose all historical culture relevancy. I don't care.

originally posted by: MarioOnTheFly
a reply to: Kratos40

This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. They have no regard to such designations and their first target of destruction was the lion god statue

i think...angry letter is in order.

Well said. Maybe if we all write angry letters to ISIS we can get them to change their ways. Don't have ab address to send a letter to, but if we all send them to SITE Intelligence, I'm sure they can pass them along for us.