Isis' Latest Contribution To Culture.

[Khandro]

http://theartnewspaper.com/news/conservation/157176/
I'm speechless, is everyone else?

[douglas9401]

Maybe they got a £6bn pound builders estimate to refurb and took it badly.

[Broseph]

Speechless,no.Dismayed,yes.This is what they do. Kill,destroy for maximum media coverage.

[jno]

I don't think these are places that have ever attracted much interest in the west anyway. Is there any point in only caring about them when they're gone?

[Svejk]

I presume that's a TIC comment, jno. Nobody could be that stupid.

[jno]

these are Islamic tombs, Svejk, not part of the Roman complex shown in the illustration. Have you visited them? Did you even know about them before they were destroyed? If not, why fret over them now? It's not as if they're some part of my heritage; perhaps not yours either.

If you want to be speechless, Isis have done far far worse things.

[anotheoldgit]

I am more speechless about the huge amount of human lives they have destroyed, rather than a few very old buildings.

[Svejk]

Yes, they've done worse things but to dismiss the destruction of ancient monuments etc, because I haven't visited them. That's quite a leap. I haven't been to the Taj Mahal or the Pyramids either.

[chaptazbru2]

I'm speechless about ALL the disgusting things these monsters have done be it to humans or ancient artefacts - is there no stopping them ?!

[jno]

I've been to Palmyra several times, but never visited the destroyed buildings. It's be a trifle hypocritical of me to bewail their loss after caring nothing for them when they were still standing. (The Roman remains are different, but so far nothing seems to have happened to them.)

Like aog, I worry more about the things they do to humans.

[chaptazbru2]

I haven't visited these places either, but I don't like them being destroyed willy nilly just because these monsters can !

[jno]

old buildings are destroyed all the time - have a look at a photo of the City of London 10 years ago, you won't recognise much. And British forces (along with those of other civilised countries) have destroyed plenty more in the course of warfare. It's regrettable, but the ones I worry about least are those I might have visited but didn't because they didn't sound interesting enough.

This particular attack seems to be aimed at intimidating other Muslims, not other countries.

[Khandro]

jno; If I am reading you correctly (and I hope I'm not) you are saying that because something is Islamic in origin, it's OK to destroy it.
If that is the case, would it be of no concern to you if the Taj Mahal was blown from the face of the earth?

[youngmafbog]

Well I have to agree with jno - yep it has happened.

[jno]

I didn't say that, Khandro; I said I wasn't bothered because it was a building of no interest to me, and also of no relevance to me. If I had visited it, and found it beautiful, I might think otherwise; but as far as I know, few western visitors ever went to look at it.

Even here in London, I'm not speechless that Wren churches have been pulled down or (in one case) sent to Missouri.

[ToraToraTora]

"I presume that's a TIC comment, jno. Nobody could be that stupid."
jno could and is.

[ToraToraTora]

jno, you are a fool, I've not seen the mona lisa directly but I'd be sad if some barbarian destroyed it. Seems the BTI have a new member

[jno]

I don't know why people keep inventing faraway places and then telling me "So you wouldn't mind if they blew up X?" Mona Lisa is part of west Europe's cultural heritage, in which I have a modest share, so yes, it would be a loss.

But why on earth are you upset about destruction of the tomb of the Sufi scholar Nizar Abu Bahaaeddine? Had you ever heard of him before? Does he mean something to you? Was the shrine of great architectural merit? Was it worse than destroying the old Firestone building in the 1970s, or Euston station before that?

Or is it just that you don't like the people who do it?

[keyplus90]

One human life is more valuable than these historical buildings. And the people who don't give a damn about human life why would they care about brick and mortar.

[Khandro]

jno;//The Roman remains are different, but so far nothing seems to have happened to them.//
That would concern you more would it? I suggest you have no more spiritual connection with Roman Gods that you do with the religion of Islam;
we are talking World Heritage here. Perhaps you are simply being contrary, but I'm afraid you come over sounding (to put it as politely as I can), silly.