Faces in the Stone. Rock Art in the Duhok Region (Kurdistan Region of Iraq)
A Seriously Threatened Cultural Heritage
abstract
The Iraqi Duhok Region has a millenary history and encompasses an extraordinary heritage. Regrettably, since 2000, we have witnessed an increase in criminal acts perpetrated against the Assyrian and Neo-Assyrian rock reliefs scattered along the valley. Damages to these sculptures vary from spray-painting to demolition attempts. The challenging situation calls for the direct involvement of the centralised Government to ensure both control and protection of the region and effective initiatives of awareness-raising among the local communities.
Keywords: Reliefs • Threat • Iraq • Heritage • Vandalism