Isil extremists have blown up the Arch of Triumph at Palmyra. Maamoun Abdulkarim, the Syrian antiquities head, confirmed that the destruction took place on 4 October. The upper parts of the triple archway were blown up, although some remnants of the bases may survive.
The monumental archway was built to commemorate the visit of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus. Under his reign (193-211 AD) the desert city of Palmyra was at its height. The archway was an ingenious wedge-shaped design, enabling it to face two roads at a 30% angle—the grand colonnaded street and the route to the temple of Bel. The great arch and its two lower side arches were richly decorated with geometric and floral designs. In modern times this striking survival of the Roman era became a symbol of Palmyra, the city that linked Europe with the East. In 1980, Palmyra was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Isil seized control of Palmyra from the government forces of Bashar al-Assad in May. In the past few weeks its extremists have blown up the temples of Baal Shamin and Bel and three tower tombs. The distinguished archaeologist Khaled al-Assaad was tortured and murdered after he refused to reveal where antiquities had been removed to for safekeeping.
Unesco’s director general Irina Bokova has condemned Isil’s destruction of Palmyra’s antiquities as a war crime. Following the loss of the Arch of Triumph, there are fears that all of Palmyra’s surviving monuments may soon be destroyed.
