The main cultural assets of Syria

Archaeological and historical research shows that Syria has been inhabited since the early Paleolithic era, around one million years ago. Exceptional archaeological and anthropological discoveries date from that period. It also appears that the first and most creative steps towards human civilization took place in Syria. It was here that the “Neolithic Revolution” occurred in the ninth millennium BC, when people began to build villages, cultivate cereals and domesticate animals. These crucial innovations developed steadily through the later millennia until Syria was once again the center of major transformation. This was the “Urban Revolution,” which brought enormous changes, marked by the appearance of well-organized fortified cities, temples, palaces and other public constructions in the fourth millennium BC.

Throughout the third, second and first millennia BC, Syria saw a succession of prosperous cities, states, kingdoms and empires, established by Sumerians, Akkadians, Amorites, Aramaeans and other peoples. These political entities are well known for their high social, economic and spiritual achievements in many fields, such as architecture, art, metallurgy, trade, religion and administration, not to mention the invention of writing. At the end of the first millennium BC and the beginning of the first millennium AD, Syria was an important part of the Greek, Roman and Byzantine empires. At the beginning of the eighth century AD, Syria became the heart of the first Arabic-Islamic, Umayyad Empire. Syria continued to play a distinguished and primordial role as a crossroads of civilizations throughout the middle Ages.

The legal framework on cultural heritage conservation

The main regulatory legislative device for protecting cultural heritage related to artifacts was issued on 1963, the law number 222 is the current public policy with regard to protecting and documenting antiquities. The law was slightly amended in 1969, 1974 and 1999.

The cultural and natural sites on the World Heritage List

Syria has six sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which are: Damascus Ancient City (1979); Aleppo Ancient City (1985); Bosra Ancient City (1980); Palmyra (1980); Crac des chevaliers and Qala't Salah El-Din (2006); Antiquities Villages in North of Syria (2011).

Syrian Arab Republic is a Member State of ICCROM since 05/11/1959

Mandates in ICCROM Council since 1958:

ICCROM Staff since 1959: 2

• Directorate General of Antiquities & Museums (DGAM)
  
• Damascus National Museum
  

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