Emergency Safeguarding of the Portico of the Temple of Bel in Palmyra

Objectives

1. Documentation of the Portico and damage assessment. Undertake a detailed survey of the Portico architectural element in order to define the technical requirements for its emergency consolidation. The survey would consist of gathering and analyzing all documentation available (national and international records, reports, photographic backgrounds, publications, inventories, archives) on the Portico and the archaeological campaigns carried out for its previous conservation, the on-site 3D scanning of the remains and a sound technical diagnosis of the remaining structure.
2. Emergency consolidation of the Portico. Guarantee temporarily the protection and stability of the Portico by implementing appropriate measure for the partial shoring or dismantling of the structure, in order to avoid further damage before any further restoration work is undertaken.

Budget

An estimated overall US$ 150,000 is needed for the implementation of this activity.

These funds will cover consultants’ fees, travel and accommodation expenses, international workshop, material and human resources for the implementation of consolidation work, communications, report production, guidance booklet presenting the project as a case study as well as translation in English/French, design and printing of the appropriate information material.

Relevance

The project is in line with the strategy adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in November 2015, entitled “Reinforcement of UNESCO’s action for the protection of culture and the promotion of cultural pluralism in the event of armed conflict” on how to strengthen UNESCO’s response, including through specific suggestions for priority activities. It is complementary to the project Emergency Safeguarding of Syrian Cultural Heritage, funded by the European Union and co-financed by the Governments of Flanders and Austria.

The project contributes to the operational response proposed in the UNESCO Emergency Safeguarding Action Plan for Syria’s Cultural Heritage adopted at the High Level meeting that UNESCO organized on 29 August 2013 in order to halt the on-going loss of cultural heritage and prepare post-conflict priority actions.

The project implements the World Heritage Committee Decisions, in particular Decisions 41 COM 7A.21, 41 COM 7A.22 (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), requesting the State Party to limit interventions at the site of Palmyra to minimal first-aid interventions and to undertake preventive measures through detailed studies and extensive field work in consultation with the international scientific community in order to define optimal approaches. 

It is under the responsibility of the international community to mobilize to avoid further damage to this emblematic remain of the Temple of Bel, which potential collapse would add to despairing intentional destruction of the Temple.