By dragging the map, you can load live Flickr images matching your current map view (including Isis, ISIS, Daesh, DAESH, Isil, ISIL, ISIS, Caliphate, Islamic State, Jihadismus, Dschihadismus, Homs Governorate, Khaled Asaad, Military intervention, Regime Bashar al-Assad, Palmyra, Syria)
This layer contains missing or stolen cultural objects from Palmyra or Syria
Ceramic vase, bronze age, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Tower model, terracotta, bronze age, 28x18x18cm, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Female figurine, terracotta, bronze age, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Goddess of Fertility, 21x15.5x8.8 cm, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Ceramic bowl, Abbasid Dynasty, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Standing male, Stone, Bronze Age, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Woman blessing, 55x44x18 cm, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Young man, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Young man with smaller figure, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Woman with child, 55x44x23 cm, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Bust of a priest, 51x43x18 cm
Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Bust of a priest, 50x42x15 cm
Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Male figurine, Ivory, Middle Bronze Age, 7.4x2.5x1.3 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Cuneiform tablet, Clay, Ancient Bronze Age, 17x19x5 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Female figurine, Ceramic,
Ancient Bronze Age,
12.5x3.3x1.7 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Jar, Ceramic, Ancient Bronze Age, Height 79 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Female head, Basalt, Ancient Bronze Age, 37x34x28cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Kernos, Ceramic, Middle Bronze Age, 17 x 23 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
By dragging the map, you can load live google places nearby matching your current map view. To get more accurate results zoom closer into the map
This layer contains live news sources from Reuters (including The Guardian, BBC News, Time, AL Jazeera, Der Tagesspiegel, Fox News among others)
This layer contains live tweets (including the keywords #Isis, #ISIS, Daesh, #DAESH, #Isil, #ISIL, #ISIS, #Caliphate, #Islamic State, #Jihadismus, #Dschihadismus, #Homs Governorate, #Khaled Asaad, #Military intervention, #Regime #Bashar al-Assad, #Palmyra, #Syria)
This layer contains information about the world heritage Palmyra (which is on the list of protected sites by Unesco)
By dragging the map, you can load live flickr images matching your current map view as fell as the following tags:
"Terrororganisation, Isis, ISIS, Daesh, DAESH, Isil, ISIL, ISIS Caliphate, Islamic State, salafistische Miliz, Kalifat, Jihadismus, Dschihadismus, Homs Governorate, Khaled Asaad, Military intervention, Regime Bashar al-Assad, Temple of Bel"
This layer containes missing or stolen cultural objects from the region of Palmyra
Ceramic vase, bronze age, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Tower model, terracotta, bronze age, 28x18x18cm, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Female figurine, terracotta, bronze age, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Goddess of Fertility, 21x15.5x8.8 cm, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Ceramic bowl, Abbasid Dynasty, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Standing male, Stone, Bronze Age, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Woman blessing, 55x44x18 cm, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Young man, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Young man with smaller figure, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Woman with child, 55x44x23 cm, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Bust of a priest, 51x43x18 cm
Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Bust of a priest, 50x42x15 cm
Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Male figurine, Ivory, Middle Bronze Age, 7.4x2.5x1.3 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Cuneiform tablet, Clay, Ancient Bronze Age, 17x19x5 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Female figurine, Ceramic,
Ancient Bronze Age,
12.5x3.3x1.7 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Jar, Ceramic, Ancient Bronze Age, Height 79 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Female head, Basalt, Ancient Bronze Age, 37x34x28cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Kernos, Ceramic, Middle Bronze Age, 17 x 23 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
By dragging the map you can load live google places nearby matching your current map view. To get more acurate results zoom closer into the map.
This layer containes live news sources from Reuters, including The Guardian, BBC News, Time, Al Jazeera, Der Tagesspiegel, Fox News and many more.
This layer containes live tweets including the keywords #palmyra, #syria and/or #daesh.
This layer containes sites from the region of palmyra which are protected by Unesco.
Ceramic vase, bronze age, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Tower model, terracotta, bronze age, 28x18x18cm, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Female figurine, terracotta, bronze age, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Goddess of Fertility, 21x15.5x8.8 cm, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Ceramic bowl, Abbasid Dynasty, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Standing male, Stone, Bronze Age, Major theft at Raqqa Museum, Syria
Several hundreds of artefacts of invaluable cultural heritage stolen in 2013–2014
Object featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Woman blessing, 55x44x18 cm, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Young man, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Young man with smaller figure, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Woman with child, 55x44x23 cm, Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Bust of a priest, 51x43x18 cm
Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Bust of a priest, 50x42x15 cm
Palmyra, Syria
22 funerary limestone Relief busts of invaluable cultural heritage were stolen from the Artaban Tomb, between 2014 and 2015
Objects featured in the INTERPOL database of stolen art
Male figurine, Ivory, Middle Bronze Age, 7.4x2.5x1.3 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Cuneiform tablet, Clay, Ancient Bronze Age, 17x19x5 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Female figurine, Ceramic,
Ancient Bronze Age,
12.5x3.3x1.7 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Jar, Ceramic, Ancient Bronze Age, Height 79 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Female head, Basalt, Ancient Bronze Age, 37x34x28cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Kernos, Ceramic, Middle Bronze Age, 17 x 23 cm
Idlib Museum, Syria
9.494 Objects of Invaluable Cultural Heritage were stolen in March 2015
Interpol
Do you have a map or other traces for our collection? Please send it to palmyra@palmyra.ixdm.ch
Because of the conflict in Syria, the UNESCO cultural monument of Palmyra can no longer be visited. The occupation by ISIS has resulted in devastation, looting and its exploitation for propaganda purposes. However, on the Internet, the place as a touristic spot still exists and has an odd parallel existence. With Google Maps or any another free map service, it is possible to plan a trip to Palmyra: consulting the Internet on 21th March 2018, location-based services suggested traveling from Basel, Switzerland to Tadmur (Arabian for Palmyra) with a drone (HERE map: distance 2’869 km), a hot-air balloon (HERE map: distance 2’894 km) or by car (Google Maps: 40:44 hrs., low traffic). There are hotel recommendations close to the site and a list of restaurants and things to do nearby—although the closest bar is located in Austria (Google Maps). In A Journey to Palmyra, users can travel to Palmyra and explore geo-located data about its cultural heritage. The website offers an interactive map of what remains from Palmyra and shows the afterlife of the site in digital traces, memories and data collected on the Internet. For Palmyra, the map becomes a visual episteme of a digitally constructed world—to a sight which no longer exist. Thus, it emphasizes the parallel lives and inner logic inherent in digital cultures. The critical-design practice is thus meant to widen our understanding, not to allow us to forget Syria or forget those who are suffering.
What remains of Palmyra? What is the digital mind of Palmyra? asks Christine Schranz in her work A Journey to Palmyra. The war-torn country can be explored on the Internet, while it is unreachable in the ‘real world.’ Its infrastructure is visible, but in fact most of it is damaged or controlled by various interest groups. The Internet has come to an unregulated space. With their map services, Google and others decide how this public space is perceived. By collecting and providing data, they create their own perspectives of the world. This raises questions about who provides the information and who chooses which information is visible. The intention behind the project was to explore an inaccessible location through its remains and through semantic information left on the Internet. The website consists of several Layers or, rather, realities (including location-based services from Google Maps, private tourist photos from Flickr, real-time information from Reuters, and Twitter or cultural information from Interpol and UNESCO). Google Maps are displayed and can be layered with one or more of the layers showing photos and the information from Google, Flickr, Reuters, Twitter, Interpol, or UNESCO on the site itself. Thus, the map is juxtaposed with real-time information about the war zone—the real, or what can be considered as real with the information available: the mediated or media-influenced constructed world. The Protocol contains the knowledge collected during the journey to Palmyra, while the Collection shows the process and documentation of the work on the website.
Do you have a map or other traces for our collection? Please send it to palmyra@palmyra.ixdm.ch
Imprint
A Journey to Palmyra by Christine Schranz, Creative Coding: Yann Patrick Martins, Début Début, Design: Début Début, Christine Schranz, 2018 © IXDM