A Syrian man hopes to preserve the cultural heritage of the ancient city of Palmyra, located in the present-day Syrian town of Tadmur, by making models of its historical artifacts damaged in Syria's devastating civil war.
Ali Taha, who lost his four children in attacks perpetrated by the Bashar Assad regime and the YPG/PKK terrorist organization in Syria, was born in Palmyra, a city in central Syria that is administratively part of the Homs province.
His grandfather and father were archaeologists who helped shape Taha's love for history, and he has devoted his life to historical studies on the Neolithic city of Palmyra.
Taha, who was displaced from his hometown just like millions of other Syrians following the outbreak of the civil war, lost his three sons in regime airstrikes in Palmyra and Deir el-Zour provinces and his daughter in YPG/PKK bombardment in the northern Raqqa province.
The 58-year-old's foot was injured during the regime bombardment in Deir el-Zour and lost most of his hearing and ability to speak.
Taha, who took shelter in the northern al-Bab district about three years ago with his family, turned the cellar of his ruined house into a workshop in the hope of keeping the historical artifacts destroyed by the Daesh terrorist group and the Assad regime in Palmyra alive with his works of art.
Taha made models of many recognizable structures in the ancient city, including the Temple of Bel, the Monumental Arch of Palmyra, also known as the Triumphal Arch, and the amphitheater.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Taha said he hopes to transfer his artisanship, which he inherited from his father, to new generations.
Taha aims to make and display models of other historical buildings of the ancient city, but he needs financial support to continue his work.
An oasis of immense history in the Syrian desert, northeast of the capital Damascus, Palmyra is home to the monumental ruins of an ancient city that was one of the most important cultural centers in the first two centuries of the common era.
The Daesh terrorist group occupied Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, between 2015 and 2017 and destroyed many of its historical monuments.
The terrorist movement demolished Palmyra's ancient Lion of Al-lat statue as well as several other majestic statues such as the first-century Temple of Baal Shamin, the Temple of Bel and the second-century Tower of Elahbel.
Syria has been embroiled in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. More than 5 million civilians have since been displaced.
