Russia's Hermitage Says All Palmyra Museum Restoration Aid To Be Conducted Within Syria

Faizan Hashmi Published September 23, 2019 | 01:01 PM

All restoration works on artifacts from the Palmyra museum, located at the ancient city archaeological site by the same name in central Syria, will be conducted from within the Middle Eastern country, the director of Russia's Hermitage Museum, Mikhail Piotrovsky, told Sputnik

PAMPLONA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2019) All restoration works on artifacts from the Palmyra museum, located at the ancient city archaeological site by the same name in central Syria, will be conducted from within the middle Eastern country, the director of Russia's Hermitage Museum, Mikhail Piotrovsky, told Sputnik.

In late August, Piotrovsky announced that Russian specialists and experts were prepared to assist Damascus with restoring the museum, which is located in the historic Palmyra monument, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was seriously damaged during Syria's civil war.

"All restoration works will take place on Syria's territory. We will not bring anything [to Russia]," Piotrovsky said.

The museum director noted that all talks with the Syrian side regarding the repairs currently center around specifically the museum at the site and not the ancient city itself.

Restoring the museum would provide people with job opportunities and attract tourists, the director added.

In August, Piotrovsky said that it would take about 1-2 years to restore the museum.

Palmyra was the capital of the Palmyrene Empire and an important hub along the ancient Great Silk Road trade route, its peak being roughly between the 1st-3rd centuries A.D. The city was heavily damaged during the occupation of the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) militants, who systematically destroyed the city's ancient buildings from 2015-2016.