Archeologists, historians and anthropologists from around the world have watched in horror as terrorists, looters, missiles, bombs and bullets devastated priceless artefacts and treasures in some of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities in Syria and Iraq in recent years.
The Smithsonian Institute's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington, D.C. is presently hosting a unique exhibit inviting visitors to take a glimpse at the Syrian and Iraqi cities of Palmyra, Aleppo and Mosul, with patrons given a chance to see how these cities' ancient historical treasures looked before their destruction at the hands of Daesh (ISIS)* and other terrorists.
The exhibition, which opened last month, includes historical photographs, video interviews, lectures and, perhaps most impressively, a virtual reality component featuring 3D recreated models of cultural heritage sites in Syria and Iraq created by 3D heritage project Iconem and Ubisoft with support from UNESCO and the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.
The bittersweet experience includes 3D blueprints laid overtop the modern-day devastation, with the images created with the help of drones and cameras taking thousands of shots to create the layered effect. The VR allows users to get a sense of the damage done to the Mosque of the Prophet Yunus in Mosul, Iraq, to see the destroyed ancient souk marketplace of Aleppo, and Palmyra's Roman ruins, along…
