Aleppo Museum, a photo from Halab, North

Photographer's Note

Bicycle travels on the Silk Road:

Halab (حلب‎,) or Aleppo is definitely one of the highlights on the Silk Road. The great fortified city on top of a hill has been for millenia a natural stopover for travellers from Anatolia to Baghdad and on to Persia. Hittite and Persian kings, Mongolian armies and Tamerlan passed through here. The infamous crusaders were unable to conquer it. A train station of he Berlin-Baghdad railway (of First World War fame) still exists.
The National museum of Aleppo was built in 1931 during the French occupation. Archeologists at work in Syria have to split their finds with their home institution and with Syria. Therefore Halap became a depository for wonderful Early Aramaeic finds of Tell Halaf. The entrance of the Museum is ornated with the entrance of King Kaparas' palace, 900 BC (copies).
The museum was, at each of my visits, almost overrun by students. For me that was a good sign that the cultural heritage of this important country is not forgotten. Today I'm however troubled about the cruel effects a civil war has on body, soul and culture.

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Critiques | Translate

roshangar (1682) 2013-03-04 3:09

I like the way you took this photo. Gives a very natural feeling to be there. Just standing in your place. They didn't see you, every body is busy with his or her own life. Perfect daily life shot:)

holmertz (103694) 2013-03-12 12:22

Hello Dietrich,
I saw this museum in 1995, and although it's not huge I remember it as containing some of the most astonishing and beautiful archeological treasures I have ever seen. The chances that this may have been destroyed is a painful thought. It is just as painful to imagine that these students may now be dead, or at least had their lives destroyed. So this photo is a reminder of how Syria once was, but will possibly not be again in several decades.
Regards,
Gert