Heritage preservation specialists CyArk and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) are seeking government and private assistance for the emergency documentation of some of the Middle East’s most endangered cultural heritage sites.

Called Project ANQA – the Arabic word for Phoenix – the scheme aims to digitally preserve sites and museums located in inhospitable conflict zones controlled by the likes of ISIS.

“We’re starting with a pilot project specifically looking at Iraq and Syria to deploy professional teams with 3D scanning equipment and pair them with local teams on the ground to record sites which are very high risk but are still accessible,” said Elizabeth Lee, vice president of CyArk speaking to Attractions Management.

“We’re pursuing Project ANQA on three fronts. One is working with ministries to give permissions for the sites and pair us up with the local professionals, second we’re working with teams that the technical ability and are willing to travel to these regions and finally we’re raising funds from interested sponsoring governments and foundations, individuals and corporations.”

The programme will utilise new technologies to create detailed maps and models of sites, which according to Lee, will help safety on sites as teams will be able to conduct their work in a fraction of the time compared with older technology.

“Safety is always a concern but we’re working very closely with people on the ground to be able to access these sites safely,” she said. “The benefit to the technology we use is it’s very quick so people can get in within a matter of hours, record the site and get out, giving us that crucial information for the future.”

Data collected during the process will be used in several different ways, with general risk preparedness for the sites as well as in recovery once peace eventually returns to the region. The data will be used to provide documentation of the sites and objects which will aide in countering illegal trafficking of historic and valuable artefacts. Iraq’s ministry for tourism and antiquities are among the bodies supporting the project.