Syria’s Antiquities Trade: Looting in Plain Sight

Overview

At the crossroads of Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic civilizations, Syria is home to one of the world’s richest archaeological heritages. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024, the country’s instability has fueled a dramatic increase in the looting of archaeological sites. An investigation into the illegal antiquities trade that has since flourished online.