Samarra Archaeological City
Factors affecting the property in 2009*
- War
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
State of war in the country that does not allow the responsible authorities to assure the protection and management of the property.
Threats for which the property was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger
State of war in the country that does not allow the responsible authorities to assure the protection and management of the property.
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
This will be defined as soon as the situation allows it.
Corrective Measures for the property
a) Establishment of a local management coordination unit on the site;
b) Preparation and implementation of a conservation and management plan;
c) Maintenance and emergency conservation activities.
Timeframe for the implementation of the corrective measures
UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds until 2009
Total amount provided to the property: USD 100,000 from the Nordic World Heritage Fund for training and documentation aiming at the preparation of the Nomination File.
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2009
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2009**
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2009
At its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008), the World Heritage Committee noted its concern related to the destruction of archaeological remains and called upon the State Party to implement the corrective measures identified, in particular: the establishment of a local management unit on the site, the preparation and implementation of a conservation and management plan and maintenance and emergency conservation activities. It had also requested the State Party to invite, should the situation allow, a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission. Due to the security constraints, such a mission was not possible.
The State Party submitted a report, in Arabic, dated 8 March 2009, which stressed that the large size of the property made it difficult to work on without constraints. . The report notes that the military base within the property has not been removed despite the request from the State Board of Antiquities. The report also notes as well expansion projects for the new city that appear, so far, not to reach the boundaries of the property, and whose extent is being planned in positive collaboration with site authorities.
The report also provides information, further to a survey by the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, on the alarming state of conservation of some monuments within the property, affected by wheathering, lack of maintenance and facts of war (gunshots marks and destruction by heavy weaponry), in particular:
a) The Malwiya Mosque: parts of the outside wall destroyed by humidity and salinity; the plaza level of the mosque affected by the irons bars and reinforced concrete (remnants of the maintenance work of the previous regime, which had intended at that time to roof the whole mosque with concrete)>This work caused the removal of all original floors made of Farshi brick.;
b) The Malwiya Minaret: no restoration of the upper part bombed in 2006; damage to the entrance due to gunshots; cracks in the staircase;
c) Al Khalifa Palace: Bab Al Amma (the public gate) damaged by humidity and salinity; cracks in the body of the main Iwan; collapse of tiles of the western Iwan of the circular pool.
d) Abu Dalaf Mosque: collapse of tiles from the vault of the prayer house; gunshot damage to the staircase of the minaret; bases of the walls affected by humidity and salinity.
The State Party is requesting technical assistance and scientific advice from the World Heritage Centre “to rescue the buildings that were exposed to the natural factors like humidity, rains, underground waters, winds, erosion etc. , and how to conserve these buildings over a wide geographical area and under abnormal security conditions.”
The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies are very concerned by the reported damages to the property and recommend that an International Assistance Request be submitted as soon as possible so that means can be found to provide the expertise needed.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2009
33 COM 7A.17
Samarra Archaeological City (Iraq) (C 276 rev)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-09/33.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 32 COM 7A.17 adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008),
3. Requests the State Party, should the situation allow it, to implement the corrective measures identified:
a) Establishment of a local management unit on the site,
b) Preparation and implementation of a conservation and management plan,
c) Maintenance and emergency conservation activities;
4. Reiterates its request to the State Party to develop, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value and a proposal for the desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in 2010;
5. Encourages the State Party to submit an International Assistance request for technical cooperation in order to address the damages to the property, and the need to develop remedial strategies which take into account the geographical extent of the property and its present security conditions;
6. Calls upon the international community to provide all necessary assistance to the State Party in the protection of this property;
7. Also requests the State Party, should the conditions allow it, to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission to Samarra to assess the state of conservation of the property;
8. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2010, a report for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in 2010;
9. Decides to retain Samarra Archaeological City (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
33 COM 8C.2
Update of the List of World Heritage in Danger
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Following the examination of the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger (WHC-09/33.COM/7A, WHC-09/33.COM/7A.Add and WHC-09/33.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC-09/33.COM/7A.Corr),
2. Decides to maintain the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:
- Afghanistan, Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Decision 33 COM 7A.20)
- Afghanistan, Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley, (Decision 33 COM 7A.21)
- Central African Republic, Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Decision 33 COM 7A.1)
- Chile, Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (Decision 33 COM 7A.28)
- Côte d'Ivoire, Comoé National Park (Decision 33 COM 7A.2)
- Côte d'Ivoire / Guinea, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Decision 33 COM 7A.3)
- Democratic Rep. of the Congo, Virunga National Park (Decision 33 COM 7A.4)
- Democratic Rep. of the Congo, Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Decision 33 COM 7A.5)
- Democratic Rep. of the Congo, Garamba National Park (Decision 33 COM 7A.6)
- Democratic Rep. of the Congo, Salonga National Park (Decision 33 COM 7A.7)
- Democratic Rep. of the Congo, Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Decision 33 COM 7A.8)
- Ecuador, Galápagos Islands (Decision 33 COM 7A.13)
- Egypt, Abu Mena (Decision 33 COM 7A.15)
- Ethiopia, Simien National Park (Decision 33 COM 7A.9)
- India, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Decision 33 COM 7A.12)
- Iraq, Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Decision 33 COM 7A.16)
- Iraq, Samarra Archaeological City (Decision 33 COM 7A.17)
- Islamic Republic of Iran, Bam and its Cultural Landscape (Decision 33 COM 7A.22)
- Jerusalem, Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (Decision 33 COM 7A.18)
- Niger, Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Decision 33 COM 7A.10)
- Pakistan, Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (Decision 33 COM 7A.23)
- Peru, Chan Chan Archaelogical Zone (Decision 33 COM 7A.29)
- Philippines, Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (Decision 33 COM 7A.24)
- Senegal, Niokolo Koba National Park (Decision 33 COM 7A.11)
- Serbia, Medieval Monuments in Kosovo (Decision 33 COM 7A.27)
- United Republic of Tanzania, Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (Decision 33 COM 7A.14)
- Venezuela, Coro and its Port (Decision 33 COM 7A.30)
- Yemen, Historic Town of Zabid (Decision 33 COM 7A.19 )
Draft Decision: 33 COM 7A.17
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-09/33.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 32 COM 7A.17 adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008),
3. Requests the State Party, should the situation allow it, to implement the corrective measures identified:
a) Establishment of a local management unit on the site,
b) Preparation and implementation of a conservation and management plan,
c) Maintenance and emergency conservation activities;
4. Reiterates its request to the State Party to develop, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value and a proposal for the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in 2010;
5. Encourages the State Party to submit an International Assistance request for technical cooperation in order to address the damages to the property, and the need to develop remedial strategies which take into account the geographical extent of the property and its present security conditions ;
6. Calls upon the international community to assist; in every way possible, the State Party in the protection of this property;
7. Also requests the State Party, should the conditions allow it, to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission to Samarra to assess the state of conservation of the property;
8. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2010, a report for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in 2010;
9. Decides to retain Samarra Archaeological City (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Iraq
Exports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
