Russian scientists have conducted virtual seismological tests of Palmyra's Triumphal Arch, which showed that the arch's structures will be able to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 9. This was announced by Natalia Solovyova, Director of the Center for Rescue Archaeology at the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IIMK RAS).
The scientist noted that the digital model of the arch allowed for online testing, which will help avoid errors during restoration.
We conducted digital seismological studies of the arch, not live, of the restored one. We needed to understand how many points of earthquake the arch could withstand.
According to her, the modeling showed that the arch can withstand such shocks.
How the Restoration of Palmyra's Triumphal Arch is Progressing
Palmyra's Triumphal Arch was destroyed in May 2015 by militants-terrorists. As a result of the explosion, the vault collapsed, the central span was completely destroyed, and only the extreme pylons remained from the side ones. A large team of Russian and Syrian specialists is involved in the restoration of the arch. To prepare for the restoration, experts cleared the rubble, scanned each block, and created a virtual model of the arch before the explosion. Archaeological studies of the foundation and the cultural layer around the arch were also carried out.
According to scientists' estimates, about 40% of the historical stones have been preserved, and ancient blocks have also been found that can be used to supplement the arch. Irreplaceable losses will be compensated with similar marbled limestone.
Palmyra, known as Tadmor, became one of the most important cities of late antiquity, located in the oasis of the Syrian Desert between Damascus and the Euphrates. The city, according to legend, was founded by the biblical King Solomon, and its ruins are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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