Palmyra: An Irreplaceable Treasure

Valuable book about the importance of Palmyra, which was savagely vandalized by ISIS. Short and articulate. Dedicated to the Syrian archaeologist who was tortured and beheaded by ISIS. Veyne states Palmyra was "perhaps the most extraordinary" archeological site ever uncovered. I have been there and I agree. Antiquities Destruction and Illicit Sales as Sources of ISIS Funding and Propaganda (The LeTort Papers)

A bit thin, not just in pages but in explaining Palmyra's overall importance and significance. Any city/buildings that old are "irreplaceable" but the "treasure" seems to be overreaching.

Perfect book about the bride of Syria.

Good introduction if you are interested, but know little or nothing about ancient Iraq/Syria during the Roman Period.

Exc svc

The brevity of the text and the minimal illustrations make the price per page exorbitant. The author's style is casual and (tiresomely) conversational, rather than systematically informative, and he goes to great length to maximize the number of French authorities he cites, omitting reference to the works other scholars. Leaves the reader wanting the substantial book that he wrongly anticipated. No recommended.

The heart-felt sadness of the writer at the senseless destruction of this unique archaeological site has been captured by the translator. I found it enlightening and saw the destruction from a new angle when I read this section:“Why did ISIS destroy Palmyra? Because it was a temple where pagans before Islam came to adore mendacious idols? No, it was because that monument was venerated by contemporary Westerners, whose culture includes an educated love for “historical monuments” and a great curiosity for the beliefs of other people and other times.”It was obviously written from a very personal perspective so cannot be considered objective but it was extremely informative and written in an easy to read way. I learned a lot about the site, until now I had not realised the scale of the site – sadly, also the scale of destruction.

This little treasure is everything everyone claims for it . . . a small masterpiece. Heartbreaking, I'm afraid, but a masterpiece nonetheless.