Page 32 - AT

A32 FEATURE
Friday 5 July 2019

3-D printing recreates ancient sculpture destroyed by ISIS

By JILL LAWLESS a pack of “archaeology
Associated Press awareness playing cards”
LONDON (AP) — A figure distributed to U.S. troops in
of a roaring lion, about the Iraq and Afghanistan.
size of a loaf of bread, is Internationally backed
the latest step in the fight to projects to train craftspeo-
preserve culture from con- ple and archaeologists in
flict. Syria and Iraq may help
The sculpture is a replica of those countries recreate
a colossal 3,000-year-old what has been lost. And
statue from the Temple of the law has made small
Ishtar in Nimrud, in what’s steps toward bringing cul-
now Iraq. The stone statue tural vandals to justice. In
was one of many artifacts 2016, Islamic extremist Ah-
from the Mosul Museum mad Al Faqi Al Mahdi was
destroyed by the Islamic convicted of destroying
State group after it overran World Heritage cultural sites
the city in 2014. in Timbuktu, Mali — the first
The replica Lion of Mosul, war-crimes conviction by
which can be viewed on- the International Criminal
line , was modelled from Court for cultural destruc-
crowd-sourced photos tion.
taken by Mosul Museum Part of the ‘Rebel Sounds’ exhibition, which explores how people used music to resist and rebel “It has always been part
visitors in happier times against war and oppression, is displayed at the Imperial War Museum in London, Wednesday, of warfare,” Agar said. “All
and 3-D printed as part of July 3, 2019. that has changed in recent
Google’s digital arts and Associated Press years is the awareness and
culture project. “The destruction of culture lists of artworks they’d sto- Both were later rebuilt, in attempt to stop it.”
It’s going on display at Lon- is sort of an accepted side- len; video of the Taliban very different ways: Cov- The display is one of three
don’s Imperial War Museum line to war,” Imperial War blowing up Afghanistan’s entry with a modern cathe- linked exhibitions at the
in an exhibition that looks Museum curator Paris Agar 1,000-year-old Bamiyan dral beside the ruins of the museum under the head-
at how war devastates so- said Wednesday. “One of Buddhas; footage of IS mili- old, Dresden brick by brick ing Culture Under Attack.
cieties’ cultural fabric — the main reasons for de- tants methodically sledge- from the original plans. The second looks at how
and at the ingenious and stroying culture is to send a hammering statues in the Images of destruction sit British museums evacuated
often heroic steps taken to message: We have victory Mosul museum. alongside stories of resis- their treasures from London
preserve it. over you. We have power The show covers a century tance and rescue. The to keep them safe during
Chance Coughenour, digi- over you. It’s because cul- of destruction, from the show features the work World War II — and what
tal archaeologist at Google ture means so much to us; German army’s World War I of the World War II Monu- they left behind. The third,
Arts and Culture, said the if we didn’t care it wouldn’t destruction of the university ments Men, who saved Rebel Sounds, explores mu-
exhibition “highlights the be a tool.” and library of Louvain, Bel- Nazi-looted artworks, and sic as resistance, focusing
potential of technology — The horror that rippled gium to the shelling of the tells the story of Khaled al- on clandestine jazz fans in
both in terms of digitally around the world in April National and University Li- Asaad, a scholar who de- Nazi Germany, punks fight-
preserving culture and tell- at the sight of Paris’s Notre brary in Sarajevo during the voted his life to studying ing for the right to party
ing these amazing stories in Dame cathedral in flames Bosnian war in 1992. Syria’s ancient site of Pal- during Northern Ireland’s
engaging new ways.” is proof of the powerful The 1940 devastation of myra and was murdered violent “Troubles,” a Bel-
It also illustrates a grim truth: attachment we have to England’s Coventry Ca- by IS in 2015. grade radio station that
culture has long been a ca- buildings and artworks. thedral by Germany’s Some militaries have made championed free speech
sualty of conflict. Museums, The most shocking parts Luftwaffe is shown along- efforts to prevent looting and Serbian techno in the
monuments and even mu- of the exhibition are the side the destruction of the and destruction. The British war-torn 1990s, and musi-
sic are often deliberately records made by the de- Frauenkirche in Dresden by Army recently set up a Cul- cians from Mali who defied
targeted by combatants. stroyers: meticulous Nazi Allied bombing in 1945. tural Property Protection an Islamist ban on music.
Unit — modern-day monu- Culture Under Attack opens
ments men and women — Friday and runs to January
and the exhibition includes 5. Admission is free.q

A 3D printed 2015 recreation titled ‘Unknown King of Haar’ by
A 3D printed recreation of the ancient Lion of Mosul, which was destroyed by the Islamic State Morehshin Allahyari is displayed as part of the ‘What Remains’
group at the Mosul Museum in Iraq, is displayed as part of the ‘What Remains’ exhibition at the exhibition at the Imperial War Museum in London, Wednesday,
Imperial War Museum in London, Wednesday, July 3, 2019. July 3, 2019.
Associated Press Associated Press