Khaled al-Asaad explained

Khaled al-Asaad
Birth Name:Khaled Mohamad al-Asaad
Birth Date:1 January 1932[1]
Birth Place:Palmyra, Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon[2]
Death Date:18 August 2015 (aged 83)
Death Place:Palmyra, Syria
Occupation:Archaeologist
Known For:Head of antiquities in Palmyra
Honours:
Death Cause:Murder by beheading
Alma Mater:Damascus University

Khaled Mohamad al-Asaad (Arabic: خالد الأسعد, pronounced as /ar/, January 1932 – 18 August 2015) was a Syrian archaeologist and the head of antiquities at the ancient city of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He held this position for over forty years.[6] Al-Asaad was publicly beheaded by the Islamic State on 18 August 2015, at the age of 83.[6]

Early life, education, and family

Al-Asaad was born in 1932 in Palmyra, where he spent most of his life.[7] He held a diploma in history and was educated at Damascus University. Al-Asaad was the father of six sons and five daughters, one of whom was named Zenobia after the well-known queen.

Career

Archaeologist

During his career, al-Asaad excavated and restored ancient Palmyra. He became the principal custodian of the Palmyra site in 1963, a position he held for forty years.[8] His expeditions focused on the late third-century ramparts of Palmyra[9] and worked with American, Polish, German, French, and Swiss archaeological missions. His achievement is the elevation of Palmyra to a World Heritage Site.[10] He was also fluent in Aramaic and regularly translated texts until 2011.[6]

From 1974 onward, Al-Asaad organised exhibitions of Palmyran antiques.[11]

When he retired in 2003, his son Walid took over his work at Palmyra. They both were reportedly detained by the Islamic State in August 2015 – Walid survived.[12] [13]

Politics

It is believed that he joined the Syrian Socialist Ba'ath Party around 1954.[10] However, it is unclear whether he was an active supporter of the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad.[13] According to The Economist, some have claimed he was a "staunch supporter" of Assad.[14]

Death

In May 2015, modern Palmyra and the adjacent ancient city came under the control of the Islamic State. Al-Asaad helped evacuate the city museum prior to the Islamic State's takeover, but was himself captured by the terrorist organisation. The Islamic State then tortured al-Asaad in an attempt to discover the location of the ancient artifacts that he helped hide.[15] He was murdered in Palmyra on 18 August 2015 at the age of eighty-three.[16]

The New York Times reported:

Following al-Asaad's death, the Islamic State hanged a placard on his corpse listing his alleged "crimes": being an "apostate", representing Syria at "infidel conferences", serving as "the director of idolatry" in Palmyra, visiting "Heretic Iran", and communicating with "a brother in the Syrian security services".

His body was reportedly displayed in the new section of Palmyra (Tadmur) and then in the ancient section, the treasures of which the Islamic State had already demolished.[17] [18] [19] [20]

In February 2021, Syrian state sources reported the discovery of al-Asaad's body in the countryside 10 km east of Palmyra.[21]

Along with al-Asaad, Qassem Abdullah Yehya, the deputy director of the DGAM Laboratories, also protected the Palmyra site, and was murdered by the Islamic State while on duty on 12 August 2015. He was thirty-seven years old.[22]

Reactions

Honours and medals

Syrian honors

Foreign honors

Film

Selected publications

2nd edition 1990.

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Syrian Expert Who Shielded Palmyra Antiquities Meets a Grisly Death at ISIS' Hands. Ben. Hubbard. 19 August 2015. The New York Times. 2 September 2017.
  2. News: Profile: Khaled al-Asaad. 2015-08-19. BBC News. 2018-08-26. en-GB.
  3. Web site: President Al-Assad Grants Archeologist Khaled al-Asaa'd Syrian Order of Merit of Excellent Degree . syriatimes.sy . 2015-09-03 . 2019-08-22.
  4. Book: The martyr of Palmyra Khaled Al Asaad. International Council on Monuments and Sites. 2016. 13.
  5. Web site: داعش يذبح أهم شخصية للآن ويعلقه على عمود بالطريق - منوعات . https://web.archive.org/web/20151003173449/http://www.akhbrksa.com/mix/218638.html . dead . 2015-10-03 . 2019-08-22.
  6. News: Syrian archaeologist 'killed in Palmyra' by IS militants. 19 August 2015. BBC News. 19 August 2015.
  7. News: Khaled al-Asaad: Authority on the antiquities of the Syrian city of Palmyra who was devoted to studying and protecting its treasures. The Independent. 22 August 2015.
  8. Web site: ISIS Killed Khalid al-Assad for Refusing to Betray Palmyra. Joanna. Paraszczuk. The Atlantic. 24 August 2015. 27 August 2015.
  9. News: Khaled al-Asaad obituary. Telegraph. 2 September 2015. 6 October 2015.
  10. News: Khaled al-Asaad profile: the Howard Carter of Palmyra. The Guardian. 19 August 2015. 19 August 2015. Caroline. Davies.
  11. Web site: Khaled al-Asaad, the martyr of Palmyra. The Conversation. Pierre Leriche. 6 October 2015.
  12. https://www.facebook.com/564867637010224/videos/1001939786865569
  13. Web site: Profile: Khaled al-Asaad, Syria's 'Mr Palmyra'. 19 August 2015. 21 August 2015. BBC.
  14. News: Islamic State and antiquities: Nothing is sacred. 23 August 2015. The Economist. 22 August 2015.
  15. News: Isis beheads Palmyra scholar and hangs him from ruins he spent his life restoring. The Independent. 2018-08-26. en-GB.
  16. Vigilo. Domingo. Plácido. Plácido Domingo. End the International Destruction of Cultural Heritage. December 2016. Din l-Art Ħelwa

    National Trust of Malta

    . 30–31. 48. 1026-132X.
  17. News: Islamic State beheads Syrian antiquities scholar in ancient town of Palmyra. 19 August 2015. 19 August 2015. U.S. News & World Report. Albert. Aji. Bassem. Mroue. Associated Press.
  18. http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mideast-crisis-archaeology-idUKKCN0QN24I20150818 Islamic State militants behead archaeologist in Palmyra – Syrian official
  19. https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/palmyra-133.html IS tötet früheren Chef-Archäologen von Palmyra
  20. Web site: Beheaded Syrian scholar refused to lead Isis to hidden Palmyra antiquities. 19 August 2015. The Guardian.
  21. Web site: ruaa-jazaeri. 2021-02-07. Three corpses found east of Palmyra, one believed to be for archeologist martyr al-Asa'ad. 2021-02-08. Syrian Arab News Agency. en-US.
  22. Web site: Article: Two more 'EverySyrian' heroes murdered while protecting our shared cultural heritage. OpEdNews. 22 August 2015.
  23. Web site: Italy's museums honour archaeologist murdered by Isil. theartnewspaper.com. 22 August 2015. 22 August 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150822114822/http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/news/158701/. dead.
  24. Web site: Franceschini: "Bandiere a mezz'asta nei musei italiani in memoria di Khaled Asaad". Il Secolo XIX. 20 August 2015. 20 August 2015. 25 August 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150825073229/http://ilsecoloxix.it/p/mondo/2015/08/20/ARmW9haF-franceschini_bandiere_italiani.shtml. dead.
  25. Web site: UNESCO condemns ISIS beheading of Palmyra archeologist. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923171928/http://www.syriaonline.sy/?f=Details&catid=22&pageid=18020&g=1. 23 September 2015. dead. 20 August 2015. dmy-all.
  26. Web site: FCO Minister Tobias Ellwood condemns ISIL's destruction of historic temple in Syria . GOV.UK . 2015-08-24 . 2021-02-08.
  27. Web site: France condemns Daesh's murder of Syria antiquities scholar . France in the United Kingdom - La France au Royaume-Uni . 2015-08-19 . 2021-02-08 . 8 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210208111716/https://uk.ambafrance.org/France-condemns-Daesh-s-murder-of-Syria-antiquities-scholar . dead .
  28. News: All civilised people must condemn murder of al-Asaad by IS: Aligarh Historians Society. The Times of India. 21 August 2015 . 22 August 2015.
  29. Web site: Poet remembers the man who fought -- and died -- to save Palmyra. Segal. Corinne. 2015-12-21. PBS NewsHour. en-US. 2018-02-22.
  30. News: Legislative decree on granting archeologist Khaled al-Asaad Syrian Order of Merit of excellent degree. Syrian Arab News Agency. sana.sy. 19 August 2015. 5 October 2015.
  31. News: داعش يذبح أهم شخصية للآن ويعلقه على عمود بالطريق – منوعات. akhbrksa.com. 19 August 2015. 20 August 2015. ar. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151003173449/http://www.akhbrksa.com/mix/218638.html. 3 October 2015. dmy-all.
  32. News: Mattarella all'inaugurazione degli Arsenali "Pisa importante per il Paese". Pisatoday. 17 October 2015. 17 October 2015. it.
  33. News: Anzour puts final touches to his film "The Blood of Palm". Sana. 27 May 2019. 12 September 2020. en.

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