Cultural History of Syria's Rebellious Province

Idlib Museum reopened last month. It was an act of defiance, said the local Head of Antiquities, to show the world that Syria's northwest province is much more than a hotbed of terrorists and festering abscess, as Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has called it.In the current political, diplomatic and military manoeuvring over Idlib, its history, culture and people get scant mention. Yet it is important to understand the nature of Idlib as a province, its character and identity, because this gives clues as to its future. Before the war, the rugged uplands of Idlib, with an average altitude of 700m, boasted a number of holiday resorts, popular with city-dwellers, especially Aleppans, seeking escape from the summer heat.  Scenically it is one of the greenest regions of Syria, thanks to its cool rainy winters.However, this mountainous terrain – with few urban centres – also makes it perfect guerrilla territory.