"Erasing Mankind’s Heritage: The Monuments of Palmyra and Their Devastation by ISIS"

The ancient city of Palmyra dates back as far as the Neolithic period, changing hands innumerably before becoming a famous trade center established by the Roman Empire. Palmyra grew in wealth due to an overwhelming influx of trade caravans. Its inhabitants included Palmyrene merchants who founded colonies along the Silk Road, opening international trade markets linking East and West. Palmyra became the headquarters for the blending of Eastern and Western culture, materials and goods. Due to this multicultural mixing, the arts and architecture of the city evolved to include all of the different influential nations. The city’s wealth paved the way for the construction of incredible monuments like the Temple of Bel and the Great Colonnade — influenced by the city’s great cultures. Syria’s great symbol of multicultural acceptance was seized by ISIS in 2015, and has since undergone tragic destruction, reducing pieces of the once great city to rubble as the rest of the world watches in shock. In his lecture “Erasing Mankind’s Heritage: the Monuments of Palmyra and their Devastation by ISIS,” Dr. Clemens Reichel, a Ph.D in Mesopotamian archeology, will use onsite photos and videos to outline the trade city’s importance to multi-cultural society, highlighting major achievements, products and monuments. Reichel will also shed light on the global consequences of losing such an influential piece of world history.