https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5646-569X
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ABSTRACT
During its occupation of the Manbij region, ISIS targeted intangible cultural heritage, including marriage rituals. Through online semi-structured interviews with 12 participants, selected to represent the population of the region, this article explores the impact of ISIS’ rule on local marriage rituals and reveals the true motivations behind its targeting of intangible heritage, including small intangible practices. The study highlights the importance of marriage rituals, as they provide an opportunity for gathering, joy and connection between families, and an opportunity to express their cultural diversity. It shows the specific cultural impacts of conflict which left a significant lasting impact on the customs and rituals of marriage in the region. The study reveals that ISIS targeted intangible cultural heritage elements, including marriage rituals: it cancelled some completely, such as the henna night and wedding party, under the pretext that elements of the ritual had been haram (forbidden in Islam). However, we argue that the religious motivations were just a cover for a comprehensive strategy aimed at eliminating the culture and identity of communities, controlling them, and imposing a new culture and identity.
Acknowledgements
The lead author would like to extend his deepest gratitude to Jennifer A. Baird, Professor of Archaeology at Birkbeck University in London for all her valuable advice, suggestions, experience and unwavering guidance during this research, and to thank Dr Esther Breithoff for her valuable feedback.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
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Notes on contributors
Adnan Almohamad
Adnan Almohamad is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of History, Classics and Archaeology at Birkbeck, University of London, an Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Archaeology at Durham University, Mellon Program Fellow, Columbia Global Centers | Amman, Columbia University and Cara Syria Program Fellow. His Master’s degree in Archaeology of the Ancient Near East and Egypt was awarded by Charles de Gaulle University-France in 2009. From 2009 to 2014 he worked in the Department of Excavation and Archaeological Studies of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums of Syria, during same time period he lectured on ancient ceramics at department of archaeology at the University of Aleppo. His research interests are in the area of upper Euphrates of Syria, and destruction and preservation of cultural heritage. His current work focuses on documenting the looting and destruction of archaeological sites in northern Syria and the relationships of local communities in Syria with their cultural heritage before and during the war.
Ayman Al-Nabo
Ayman Al-Nabo is a former lecturer of oriental languages at the University of Aleppo, in the departments of Arabic and History, with a specialisation in Semitic languages. He is the Director of the Idlib Antiquities Centre, run by a group of academics specialising in Syrian archaeology. During the Syrian conflict, the centre has worked to protect, preserve and document cultural property for future generations, through the implementation of projects targeting both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Ayman is interested in the preservation of Syrian heritage as a way of increasing social cohesion and strengthening national identity. He is also interested in integrating cultural heritage into the Syrian educational curriculum, due to the importance of protecting cultural property.
Hussein Houri
Dr Hussein Houri is a Syrian archaeologist. He gained his PhD in ‘The History and Preservation of Art Objects and Architecture’ from the University of Rome III in 2008. He worked as Director of the Department of Restoration at the Syrian Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums between 2009 and 2011, since when he has continued his research focusing on the preservation of the Syrian cultural heritage.