Recommended

ISIS beheads Syrian scholar for refusing to show the way to hidden Palmyra antiquities

Famously called "Mr. Palmyra" and known by many of his people as the caretaker of some of Syria's antique archaeological treasures, Khalid al-Asaad has been beheaded on Tuesday in a public square.

According to local officials, he had been detained for weeks by the Islamic State, following his refusal to lead the jihadists into the city's hidden treasures.

Syrian state news outlets indicate that the retired chief of antiquities in Palmyra may have been killed because he protected the same history that he put his entire life and dedication into.

Get Our Latest News for FREE

Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.

According to The New York Times, Asaad has recently turned 83 and a photo revealed on social media by ISIS supporters showed that the archeologist still had his glasses on when a masked swordsman cut off his head in front of the public.

Yasser Tabbaa, an Islamic art and architecture specialist in Syria and Iraq said Asaad was famously known in the field as one who learned to read ancient inscriptions by himself. He was also known for presenting his studies in the English language at academic conferences.

"He was a very important authority on possibly the most important archaeological site in Syria," Mr. Tabbaa said.

Aside from his research in the ancient sites, Asaad was a member of the Baath Party. Reports say his position helped him get the job that defined who he was for many decades, but his vast knowledge of the antiquities and his love for his own history made him unique among other foreign researchers.

A Syrian professor of Middle Eastern history and anthropology at Shawnee State University in Ohio said, "Anyone who wanted to do anything in Palmyra had to work through Khalid al-Asaad."

Born and raised in Palmyra, he only left his beloved city when he studied in the Syrian capital, Damascus, where he acquired degrees in history and education.

Before the ISIS claimed the city months back, museum staff moved many of the city's artifacts to safer areas in the country, and according to reports, Asaad played a role in evacuating the city's treasures, thus gaining the attention of the jihadists.

Was this article helpful?

Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone.

By making a recurring donation or a one-time donation of any amount, you're helping to keep CP's articles free and accessible for everyone.

We’re sorry to hear that.

Hope you’ll give us another try and check out some other articles. Return to homepage.

Most Popular

More Articles