Series | Antiquity Studies
Edited book | Stolen Heritage
Chapter | Faces in the Stone. Rock Art in the Duhok Region (Kurdistan Region of Iraq)

Faces in the Stone. Rock Art in the Duhok Region (Kurdistan Region of Iraq)

A Seriously Threatened Cultural Heritage

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.


Open access | Peer reviewed

Submitted: Jan. 18, 2021 | Published: March 31, 2021 | Language: en

Keywords Reliefs Threat Iraq Vandalism Heritage


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