PALMYRA_original(01 of29)
Open Image ModalPalmyra(02 of29)
Open Image Modal (credit:reibai/Flickr)
SYRIA-CONFLICT-ARCHAEOLOGY-PALMYRA(03 of29)
Open Image ModalA picture taken on March 14, 2014 shows a partial view of the ancient oasis city of Palmyra, 215 kilometres northeast of Damascus. From the 1st to the 2nd century, the art and architecture of Palmyra, standing at the crossroads of several civilizations, married Graeco-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influences. AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JOSEPH EID via Getty Images)
PALMYRA_original (1)(04 of29)
Open Image ModalPalmyra(05 of29)
Open Image Modal (credit:illustir/Flickr)
PALMYRA_original (2)(06 of29)
Open Image ModalPALMYRA_original (3)(07 of29)
Open Image ModalFront stage of the Palmyra theatre(08 of29)
Open Image ModalSYRIA - APRIL 08: Front stage of the Palmyra theatre (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1980), Syria. Roman civilisation, 2nd century AD. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images) (credit:DEA / C. SAPPA via Getty Images)
Palmyra(09 of29)
Open Image ModalPalmyra, Syria (credit:sharnik/Flickr)
Palmyra(10 of29)
Open Image Modal (credit:varunshiv/Flickr)
Palmyra(11 of29)
Open Image Modal (credit:varunshiv/Flickr)
SYRIA-CONFLICT-ARCHAEOLOGY-PALMYRA(12 of29)
Open Image ModalA picture taken on March 14, 2014 shows a partial view of the ancient oasis city of Palmyra, 215 kilometres northeast of Damascus. From the 1st to the 2nd century, the art and architecture of Palmyra, standing at the crossroads of several civilizations, married Graeco-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influences. AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JOSEPH EID via Getty Images)
Mideast Syria Palmyra Glance(13 of29)
Open Image ModalFILE - This file photo released on Sunday, May 17, 2015, by the Syrian official news agency SANA shows the general view of the ancient Roman city of Palmyra, northeast of Damascus, Syria. Members of the Islamic State group have captured the ancient town raising fears that the extremists will destroy its archaeological sites that have stood for two millennia. Palmyra, home to one of the Middle East\'s most famous UNESCO world heritage sites, was under full control of militants on Thursday after troops withdrew to nearby bases. (SANA via AP, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Syria Palmyra Glance(14 of29)
Open Image ModalFILE - This file photo released on Sunday, May 17, 2015, by the Syrian official news agency SANA shows the general view of the ancient Roman city of Palmyra, northeast of Damascus, Syria. Members of the Islamic State group have captured the ancient town raising fears that the extremists will destroy its archaeological sites that have stood for two millennia. Palmyra, home to one of the Middle East\'s most famous UNESCO world heritage sites, was under full control of militants on Thursday after troops withdrew to nearby bases. (SANA via AP, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
SYRIA-CONFLICT-PALMYRA-HERITAGE(15 of29)
Open Image ModalA general view taken on May 18, 2015 shows the castle of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, a day after Islamic State (IS) group jihadists fired rockets into the city and killing five people. Fierce clashes have rocked Palmyra\'s outskirts since IS launched an offensive on May 13 to capture the 2,000-year-old world heritage site nicknamed \'the pearl of the desert\'. AFP PHOTO /STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:STR via Getty Images)
SYRIA-CONFLICT-IS-PALMYRA-AL ASSAAD(16 of29)
Open Image ModalA portrait of Khaled al-Assaad, the late 82-year old retired chief archaeologist of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, is displayed during a ceremony in his memory at the National Museum on August 23, 2015 in the Syrian capital Damascus. The Islamic State (IS) group beheaded Al-Assaad, who refused to leave the ancient city when the jihadists captured it, on August 19, 2015, Syria\'s antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim said. AFP PHOTO / LOUAI BESHARA (Photo credit should read LOUAI BESHARA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:LOUAI BESHARA via Getty Images)
Sculptured tombstones.(17 of29)
Open Image ModalThe great families of Palmyra, displaying their wealth even in death, were buried in impressive tower tombs containing many bodies. Sculpted tombstones, such as this one belonging to a young man of the 2nd century AD, identified the different people interred inside. The distinctive local sculptural style anticipates developments in late Roman and Byzantine art. (Photo by: Brown Bear/Windmil Books/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:Windmill Books via Getty Images)
SYRIA-CONFLICT-ARCHAEOLOGY-PALMYRA(18 of29)
Open Image ModalA picture taken on March 14, 2014 shows a partial view of the ancient oasis city of Palmyra, 215 kilometres northeast of Damascus. From the 1st to the 2nd century, the art and architecture of Palmyra, standing at the crossroads of several civilizations, married Graeco-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influences. AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JOSEPH EID via Getty Images)
Funerary relief depicting a member of a family(19 of29)
Open Image ModalSYRIA - DECEMBER 13: Funerary relief depicting a member of a family, from Palmyra, 2nd- 3rd century, Syria, detail. Roman civilisation, 2nd-3rd century AD. Damascus, Musée National De Damas (Archaeological And Art Museum) (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images) (credit:De Agostini Picture Library via Getty Images)
Palmyra(20 of29)
Open Image ModalPalmyra, Syria (credit:sharnik/Flickr)
Palmyra(21 of29)
Open Image ModalPalmyra, Syria (credit:sharnik/Flickr)
Palmyra(22 of29)
Open Image ModalPalmyra, Syria. (credit:sharnik/Flickr)
Palmyra(23 of29)
Open Image ModalPalmyra, Syria. (credit:sharnik/Flickr)
Palmyra(24 of29)
Open Image Modal (credit:illustir/Flickr)
palmyra(25 of29)
Open Image ModalThe temple of Baal in Palmyra (credit:paslotte/Flickr)
Palmyra(26 of29)
Open Image Modal (credit:reibai/Flickr)
Palmyra(27 of29)
Open Image Modal (credit:Verity Cridland/Flickr)
Palmyra(28 of29)
Open Image Modal (credit:reibai/Flickr)
Palmyra(29 of29)
Open Image Modal (credit:reibai/Flickr)