Museum Losses Amidst the 44-Day Artsakh War

The article discusses the challenges surrounding the safeguarding of Artsakh's rich cultural heritage, with a particular focus on the preservation and protection of museums amidst and following the 44-day Artsakh war. It offers special scrutiny towards museums and collections that fell under Azerbaijani control as a consequence of the conflict. The museum sector emerged as one of the most severely impacted areas in Artsakh's cultural landscape due to the war. Approximately thirty private and state museums and collections were left in territories occupied by the Azerbaijani armed forces. Those museums that managed to evacuate their collections from the occupied territories encountered significant challenges in the aftermath. The challenges primarily revolve around the preservation and dissemination of cultural heritage. Questions arise regarding the appropriate locations for housing these values, the principles and contexts guiding their display, and the methods of presenting them to the public. Moreover, the issue of detachment from one's community adds another layer of complexity to the discussion. Therefore, the article explores three main aspects: It investigates the war crimes taken against cultural heritage in Artsakh throughout the 44-day Artsakh war by Azerbaijani armed forces. It examines the international legal mechanisms established to protect this heritage during and after the war. It scrutinizes the fate of museums forced to evacuate due to wartime dangers, as they, along with the communities they serve, became displaced entities. The study draws on comprehensive interviews conducted with museum directors, staff members, and officials from relevant departments within the Ministry of Education and Culture of Artsakh. Additionally, it relies on the analysis of videos disseminated by various Azerbaijani users across diverse online platforms such as TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Telegram

Archaeology · Art · Displaced person · Reflection (computer programming · Refugee · Visual arts · Archaeological Research and Protection · Computer Science · Museums and Cultural Heritage · History