Project Anqa

From their previous knowledge of Middle Eastern countries and from their conflict monitoring activity, the members of ICOMOS Working Group on Safeguarding Cultural Heritage in Syria and Iraq were aware of the key role played by local professionals when few or no foreign experts could undertake perilous ground visits. Highly qualified national architects, archaeologists and computer specialists remained in spite of dangers but they often lacked risk preparedness and advanced equipment. It was therefore important to provide them with additional conservation skills. Some adequate technology transfers had to be organised and capacity building was needed in their institutions.

ICOMOS already had a relationship with CyArk, who has impressive experience worldwide, thanks to the president’s participation in its board. A Memorandum of Understanding was passed between them in June 2015 and was soon presented during the Global Coalition launch at the World Heritage Committee meeting in Bonn, July 2015. The Yale partnership was soon added, as the Director of the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH) happened to also be the President of ICOMOS' International Scientific Stone Committee (ISCS). The Director General of the Syrian Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) immediately expressed his interest and a proposal was submitted to Arcadia the same month. Unfortunately due its decision-making annual calendar, the proposal was not examined by its board and accepted before April 2016.

After some discussions and refinement, a more detailed proposal, including a cooperative research agreement between the three partners, was sent by ICOMOS to Arcadia in September 2016. Self supported by CyArk, early trainings had to be held in UNESCO's regional office in Beirut in January and June 2016. A visit from the heads of ICOMOS WG and Yale IPCH were also undertaken in Damascus in December 2016 to prepare the final training session that was given in January 2017.

On-site 3D surveys of six sites in Damascus began soon afterwards and were mostly achieved by the end of August 2017.

Sites Selection

Only Midan, a historical suburb of Damascus was subject to fighting between government and rebels in July 2012, as the World Heritage ancient city keeps being episodically shelled by mortars. During these incidents, some monuments were hit and even a DGAM agent lost his life. It was not predictable that Old Damascus would be a much safer place compared to Old Aleppo or Homs. However, we could not allow our trainees to be exposed to excessive risks.

Project Anqa finally documented six historic architectural sites, determined in coordination with the DGAM. These site were chosen to illustrate the architectural variety of historic buildings in the walled old city. Their public status also allowed for easier working conditions. This choice was to provide a sort of “Noah's Ark” (one of each building type: housing, education, health care, bath, commercial and religious), a typological variety of small or middle-sized urban historical buildings.