Al-Aqiser church and Iraqi heritage at risk from climate change
The structure, dating back to the fifth century, is subject to deterioration. Climatologists and authorities have started a collaboration to assess the long-term ‘impact and consequences’ on historical sites. But many architectural treasures are at risk, as are the country's crops and ecosystem in the face of a ‘silent enemy’ that threatens the future and is the focus of the Summit of the Future at the UN General Assembly in these hours.
Milan (AsiaNews) - The Iraqi General Authority for Antiquities and Heritage's cry of alarm about the historic church of Al-Aqiser is only the latest, but it too could go unheeded as the country - and its treasures - risk succumbing to climate change. According to experts, in fact, the structure is subject to ‘deterioration’ due to the effects of atmospheric phenomena and environmental upheavals, even though the organisation has recently begun a close collaboration with a group of climatologists to mitigate the harmful effects. The aim is precisely to assess the ‘impact and long-term consequences’ of climate change on Iraq's historical sites, a highly topical issue also at the centre of the work of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly scheduled from 22 to 30 September at the UN Headquarters in New York. Among the most eagerly awaited events is the Summit of the Future, held during the first two days of the assembly to reaffirm commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN Charter.
More than oil
A heritage of great economic and cultural value, which constitutes the real ‘black gold’ of Iraq, as Chaldean Patriarch Card. Louis Raphael Sako. Since his time as archbishop of Kirkuk, in fact, the cardinal used to denounce the dangers run by a ‘universal good’ to be safeguarded such as archaeology, which alone is worth ‘more than oil’. A task for all Iraqis, not just Christians, also recalled in 2016 during the ‘International Conference for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Conflict-Theatre Areas’ in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Eau).
In particular, the church of Al-Aqiser (‘mini-palace’, in Arabic) is an archaeological site in the desert area of Ayn al-Tamr, near Kerbala, about 100 km south-west of Baghdad, and is described as the oldest Christian church in the east. Until recently, it was used by the Chaldeans, although in recent times it is in an abandoned condition and its walls are subject to decay and erosion. It dates back to the 5th century AD and is five kilometres away from the famous fortress of Al-Ukhaidir.
Historians believe that the church was built by Nestorian rebels seeking refuge under the Lakhmid dynasty (268-633 AD), an ally of the Sasanian Empire. The place of worship retains traces of Aramaic inscriptions on the walls and has a raised altar facing Jerusalem. The site covers an area of about 4,000 square metres with tombs, towers, monasteries and treasures. Another nearby church, recently discovered, was used for burial ceremonies and dozens of tombs were also found lined up in the direction of the holy city, while all around it the presence of burial mounds suggests the existence of an ancient city. Although the roof has collapsed, its walls remain standing and worshippers continue to celebrate Christmas mass inside the site.
Adaptation Strategies
Montasser Sabah Al-Hasnawi, head of the climate change team of the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, emphasised the importance of protecting cultural heritage from the risks of rising temperatures and environmental disasters. During a personal visit to the Christian cultural and religious site, he emphasised, once again, the need to promote and support targeted policies to safeguard the heritage. ‘We must develop,’ the senior official told Shafaq News, ‘climate adaptation strategies to preserve both cultural practices and archaeological sites’.
According to the UN, Iraq is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, starting with the devastating effects of drought in a territory more than 50 per cent covered by deserts that threaten human and animal life, but do not spare archaeological and cultural sites either. From the remains of ancient Mesopotamia to recent history, we are witnessing a progressive drying up accelerated by the disappearance of trees once capable of blocking the winds and now disappearing because they have been burnt or destroyed by the bombardments of the various wars fought in the area or felled to make way for new cities. Scorching summer temperatures of over 50 degrees Celsius, dust storms and heavy winter rains also dealt blows to the heritage. Hence the fear for sites built with bricks thousands of years ago, which are now crumbling and crumbling to dust.
Archaeologist Zahd Muhammad blamed the ‘climatic conditions, the fact that under Saddam Hussein the area was turned into a military range, and the lack of regular conservation’. The mayor of Ayn al-Tamr, Raed Fadhel, also brings up the economic element, stating that maintenance is budget-dependent and there is a progressive lack of funds: ‘It requires a huge amount of money, but we only receive - he complains - meagre funds’ from the federal government. Finally, there is a problem of interest related to the cultural heritage itself: some 60 kilometres further east, the Shiite shrines of Kerbala attract millions of pilgrims every year, but these potential visitors do not stop at the numerous ancient churches, Mesopotamian cities and the ‘ziggurat’-shaped pyramid structures of Babylon, a Unesco heritage site.
A silent enemy
Critical issues do not only affect one part of the country, but are a challenge that the nation as a whole must face. An example of this is the ‘silent enemy’ that has been gaining ground in southern Iraq in recent years. The low water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which converge in the Basra plain, are unable to repel the wave of sea water, and salt water, that is advancing with increasing impetus towards the north. A creeping ‘invasion’ that ends up destroying palm groves, citrus trees and other crops that have thrived for millennia thanks to the shade provided by the palms that protected them from the scorching sunlight. At risk is not only the cultural and historical heritage, but the very crops that have guaranteed life and prosperity for centuries.
Adnan Khdheir Al-Sinafi, from the district of Al-Bihar (Basra), has worked in a palm grove all his life, as his ancestors did for generations. Today, like many others, he is at a crossroads: stay and persist - after heavy economic losses - or leave in search of a livelihood elsewhere. He has tried both: ‘This land was a paradise. I planted citrus trees in the shade of palm trees and we had more than 60 varieties of the best quality dates,' he recalls. ‘As the salinity increased, I watched as my trees died and the land gradually degraded. I lost,' he says, “about 30,000,” and what remains are “dead logs and stumps”. Further north, in the Thi-Qar governorate, the marshes are drying up due to low water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates caused by decreasing rainfall, the construction of dams in Turkey and Iran on rivers and tributaries, and the lack of sustainable local water management. These marshes were once famous for biodiversity, community livelihoods and farming and fishing practices, dating back to ancient Mesopotamia.
The International Organisation for Migration's monitoring of climate emergencies in Iraq recorded a final critical factor: the displacement of more than 130,000 people between 2016 and September 2023 due to the negative effects of climate change. The scale is far greater than any single organisation can do, and while the government is promoting a climate strategy, collaboration with the international community, civil society and private individuals is also essential. Reducing the vulnerability of territories requires investment in smart infrastructure, equitable land and water management systems and policies, diversified livelihood opportunities and early warning systems. In the run-up to COP28, local experts and environmentalists call for broader, concerted efforts at the national and regional level, because this is not a local but a global crisis and requires immediate action.
GATEWAY TO THE EAST IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO THE MIDDLE EAST. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY TUESDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE.
.png)
