War Crimes: Destruction of Archaeology as a War Crime

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A re-release of episode 13 originally aired in 2016, we will revisit a topic that is ominously relevant early in January 2020 with Trump’s threat to bomb Iranian sites, an act considered by the International Criminal Court as a war crime. While the steam cools following the announcement that the pentagon wouldn’t follow through on such an order, we are reminded of the importance of heritage sites.

The panel consists of Emily Long,  Chelsi Slotten, and Kristin Bastis,  discussing the International Criminal Court’s  prosecution of the destruction of archaeological and cultural resources as a War Crime. What are the implications of this? Is this effective? This discussion brings us to rethink What our responsibilities as professional archaeologists are to the public to preserve and protect archaeological resources in the political world stage today?

Show Notes:

Unesco News on ICC case: https://en.unesco.org/news/international-criminal-court-and-unesco-strengthen-cooperation-protection-cultural-heritage

Public Records of the case: https://www.icc-cpi.int/mali/al-mahdi

Root Shock: https://www.amazon.com/Root-Shock-Tearing-Neighborhoods-America/dp/0345454227/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=78202875902477&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=root+shock+book&qid=1578334741&sr=8-1

Article on Syrian Museum restoration success: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/28/syria-national-museum-damascus-reopening-hailed-as-return-to-normal-life

ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives: http://www.asor.org/chi