Today, 1 January, marks the birth of Khaled al-Asaad near the temple of Bel in Palmyra, Syria in 193

Today, 1 January, marks the birth of Khaled al-Asaad near the temple of Bel in Palmyra, Syria in 1932. He became interested in archaeology from a very young age, and studied history at the University of Damascus. He joined the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums in Damascus, and served as Director of Antiquities of Palmyra from 1963 to 2003. Dr. Asaad published a number of articles and books on ancient Palmyra, including studies of Bedouin culture, the Palmyrene language, and a biography of Queen Zenobia. He worked to secure UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the archaeological site of Palmyra. Even after his retirement in 2003, he continued to work as a consultant for Antiquities and Museums.Dr. Assad helped museum workers to safeguard and remove historical treasures from Palmyra in advance of the capture of the city by Daesh in May, 2015. He refused to leave the city of his birth, even though he knew he would be targeted by the militants, who rely on the trade in stolen antiquities to fund their operations. He was captured by Daesh, detained for three weeks, tortured, and murdered. Dr. Asaad was 83 years old.He will be remembered for his love for his family and birthplace, his hospitality and generous assistance to students, colleagues and travelers, and his passion for uncovering and sharing the past. “No age lives entirely alone; every civilization is formed not merely by its own achievements but by what it has inherited from the past.  If these things are destroyed, we have lost a part of our past, and we shall be the poorer for it.” -  Major Ronald Balfour, Monuments Officer for First Canadian Army, killed in Cleve, Germany, 1945, while attempting to safeguard portions of a medieval altarpiece.Note: edited 2 January 2019. -- source link

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