The Middle East Cultural Heritage at Risk in Armed Conflict is a project initiated in March 2026 by the Society of Iranian Archaeology (SIA) in collaboration with the Center of Ancient Middle Eastern Landscapes (CAMEL). It serves as a geographically grounded database of heritage sites and historic landmarks damaged during recent armed conflict—and which remain at risk of further destruction and looting. Each site record includes location, status, threat category, cultural significance, a date of damage and description, and sourced images where available. All recorded sites will also be added to the EAMENA database for long term record keeping and documentation.
Together, the Society of Iranian Archaeology, CAMEL, and EAMENA share a long legacy of safeguarding the cultural heritage of the Middle East. While the immediate impetus for this platform is the current conflict in Iran, its broader aim is to raise awareness of the risks and irreversible toll that armed conflict takes on our shared global heritage and to urge all parties involved to identify and protect cultural heritage sites throughout the region. For further reading, see the statements of the US Committee of the Blue Shield on the Iran Conflict and Cultural Heritage, along with those of UNESCO, ICOMOS, and other heritage organizations highlighted by Museums Association.
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