Islamic State militants are believed to have blown up the temple of Baal Shamin, one of the central jewels of the ancient desert city of Palmyra, days after they executed its elderly chief archaeologist.
Reports of the temple’s destruction, which emerged last night, fulfilled the worst fears of archaeologists and historians since the ancient site was overrun by Isis extremists in May.
“Our darkest predictions are unfortunately taking place,” said Maamoun Abdulkarim, Syria’s antiquities chief, confirming earlier reports from activists about the temple’s destruction.
Mr Abdulkarim said that Isis militants had detonated explosives planted around the temple, destroying its inner chamber and causing its external columns to collapse.
Activists in Palmyra reported in June that Isis militants had laid mines and other explosives around the temple, which is nearly 2,000 years old.
Advertisement
When Isis overran Palmyra in May, the Saudi commander vowed not to destroy the ancient ruins, a source of pride to Syrian inhabitants, but said that “idolatrous” statues would be “pulverised”. Archaeologists warned then that even if Isis honoured that promise, the temple remained in danger.
Originally consecrated to the pagan deity Baal, it was later used for Christian worship and featured figurative frescos, some explicitly Christian, making it a target twice over for Isis militants. Its conversion into a Christian place of worship had helped to make it one of the best preserved of Palmyra’s monuments.
Isis has repeatedly targeted preIslamic monuments in areas of Iraq and Syria under its control, as well as Christian places of worship. On Friday the group bulldozed the ancient monastery of Mar Elian, south of Palmyra, releasing photographs of the destruction.
Irina Bokova, the head of Unesco, said that Isis was engaged in the “most brutal, systematic” destruction of ancient sites since the Second World War.
Soon after taking over Palmyra, Isis used its Roman theatre as the backdrop for the videotaped execution by firing squad of regime captives. In July they destroyed a lion statue and two Muslim shrines outside the ancient city.
Advertisement
Last week Isis posted gruesome photographs showing the beheaded body of Khaled al-Asaad, Palmyra’s retired chief archaeologist, strung up outside the city’s museum. Mr Asaad, 82, was reportedly murdered after refusing to reveal the whereabout of hidden antiquities, most of which had already been taken to Damascus for safety before Palmyra fell. Experts cite persistent myths about hidden gold at Syria’s ancient sites, which the authorities deny.