At the time, the field of mosaic conservation and documentation was still very much in a nascent phase both at the University of Damascus and at Syria’s museums, and digital archiving [...] gradually replaced the antiquated system of index cards. It was an ambitious initiative that was moving apace until the sirens of war brought it all to a halt in 2011.

A charity dedicated to maintaining Edinburgh's heritage has offered to help the restoration of several of Syria's cultural sites. Edinburgh World Heritage has offered to help the work of Professor Maamoun Adbulkarim, director-general of antiquities and museums, who this week called for help to protect the country's heritage. 

Two towns separated by two continents have spent a weekend celebrating their rock-solid archaeological bond. Thetford and Nagawa, Japan have common ground in their historic use of flint and obsidian. Now representatives from Norfolk and Japan have commemorated the towns’ bond with the world’s first twinning of archaeological sites.