The Looking Glass

IBRAHIM CHAUDRY The immediate international and government reaction after witnessing the devastating intentional destruction of cultural sites, libraries and ancient architecture by terrorism in Mosul and Palmyra throughout the last decade seems straight-forward and inevitable: outrage mixed with defiance. However, when assessing whether an attempt should be made to reconstruct Ancient Greek architecture, often damaged through Ottoman Empire weaponry, as was the case with the Parthenon in 1687, the response is significantly more complicated; the dilemma of satisfying the aesthetic appeal for tourists exploring beautiful architecture with the archival appeal for historians is difficult to overcome, all whilst trying to ensure revenue is maximised and costs minimised.  The merits of any reconstruction project can only be judged on its initial purposes. Assuming that the process isn’t being undertaken to urgently prevent further damage to a sculpture or building, the three general aim...