In brief
As Israeli airstrikes escalate, Lebanon's rich cultural antiquities face unprecedented threats, alarming conservationists and heritage experts.
The ruins of a historic building near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Baalbek were devastated by an Israeli airstrike earlier this month. It marks yet another assault against Lebanon’s invaluable heritage amidst ongoing conflict with Israel. For Mohammad Kanso, a caretaker of the ancient Roman temples of Baalbek, the recent events have been devastating. The temples, iconic representations of Lebanese pride and religious heritage that have stood for over 2,000 years, served as a backdrop to his childhood. But as the airstrikes grew nearer, Kanso and his family were forced to flee, only to witness the aftermath of destruction days later when a missile struck a historic building just yards away.The ongoing Israeli-Hizbollah conflict has thrust Lebanon into a humanitarian crisis, resulting in over 3,700 fatalities and displacing nearly a quarter of its five million residents, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. However, alongside this human toll lies an equally dire threat to the nation’s patrimony.Baalbek is just one fragile entity among many under siege; Lebanese archaeologists and conservationists are rushing to safeguard sites that span Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman eras. The threat to Lebanon's historical identity extends beyond just Baalbek; other sites such as ancient churches, cemeteries, markets, and even Crusader castles face potential damage from the airstrikes.In a proactive measure, UNESCO has placed 34 cultural sites in Lebanon under "enhanced protection," categorizing any attacks on them as serious violations of the 1954 Hague Convention. Despite this initiative, many cultural treasures remain unlisted, and reports from Lebanese officials and the UN indicate that numerous antiquities have already suffered damage or destruction due to the ongoing conflict.The urgency to preserve Lebanon's archaeological legacy grows as the nation navigates through both humanitarian and cultural crises.
