Since 2011, Syria has been mired in war and destruction. The country’s cultural patrimony has been ruined and is likely to be obliterated. Join Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis as she introduces Manar al-Athar, an open access photograph database aimed at understanding the damage inflicted upon archaeological sites and other heritage structures due to conflict, increasing population, and/or development. This project was started before the current war, but its significance is even timelier as Syria and other Middle Eastern areas are presently under threat. Through a careful examination of pre-war photographs, archaeological reports, and other scholarship, in conjunction with a review of current social media, photographs, and video, the project attempts to assess the damage to archaeological sites and the validity of claims made by all sides.