Syria: A Living History

This exhibition is a virtual version of the exhibition Syria: A Living History on display at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, October 15, 2016 to March 26, 2017. In this collection you will find photographs of the exhibition, reproductions of the graphic panels, and a selection of artifacts on display.

Perched on the Eastern Mediterranean and steeped in history, Syria has developed a sense of identity that is expansive yet resilient and not easily defined. Through successive political and geographic transmutations from Aram and Phoenicia, to Seleukia, to the Roman and Byzantine Oriens, to Islamic Bilad al-Sham, to a truncated modern Syria, the country has accumulated many interrelated cultures. Some flourished for a long time and radiated their influence near and far. Others shone brightly for only a brief moment. All, however, have contributed to the rich history of Syria, giving the country an aura of vivid multiculturalism long before the term was coined.

Syria: A Living History brings together over 5,000 years of artifacts that showcase the arts and diversity of Syrian civilizations. The reflection and influence of historical interrelated cultures is evident in modern and contemporary artworks, which together enhance the importance of Syria’s long history of artistic creativity. 

Co-Curators

Dr. Filiz Çakır Phillip, Aga Khan Museum

Professor Nasser Rabbat, Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, MIT

Historian

Dr. Ross Burns, Sydney, Australia

Exhibition photo by Aly Manji © The Aga Khan Museum.