Reviving Memories: Rediscovering Yazidi Cultural Heritage through Ancient Photographs

Wed Oct 22 2025 11:15:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Archaeologists have unearthed a treasure trove of photographs documenting the Yazidi community in Iraq, preserving their rich cultural heritage amidst the destruction caused by the Islamic State. This effort aims to reconnect displaced Yazidis with their history and identity.

A recent endeavor by archaeologists has led to the rediscovery of nearly 300 historically significant photographs of the Yazidi community in Iraq, captured during excavations in the 1930s. This archive aims to combat the cultural erasure inflicted by the Islamic State, showcasing Yazidi traditions and their vibrant history. Affected community members, now scattered around the world, are finding solace and connection in these images, which evoke cherished memories from their pre-ISIS lives.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Archaeologists studying ancient civilizations in northern Iraq during the 1930s also befriended the nearby Yazidi community, documenting their daily lives in photographs that were rediscovered after the Islamic State militant group devastated the tiny religious minority.

The black-and-white images, scattered among the approximately 2,000 photographs from the excavation at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, led to a visual archive of the Yazidi people, one of Iraq’s oldest religious minorities.

Nearly a decade after the destruction of a Yazidi shrine by IS extremists, doctoral student Marc Marin Webb identified a significant photograph that motivated further exploration. Webb and colleagues unearthed nearly 300 photographs, including personal moments that had been lost to time and violence.

Ansam Basher, now a teacher in England, was deeply moved when she saw images from her grandparents’ wedding in the early 1930s. My albums, my childhood photos, all disappeared, Basher recounted, before expressing joy at the revival of her family's history through these photographs.

A cache of cultural memory

The archive documents Yazidi people, places, and traditions that were threatened by IS attacks. Marin Webb collaborates with documentarian Nathaniel Brunt to share these images with Yazidi communities through exhibits and digital formats.

In April, exhibits showcasing these photographs were held in the region, coinciding with the Yazidi New Year, highlighting the importance of remembering an identity that faced significant attempts at erasure.

Exhibits brought new recognition to the community, allowing them to witness their heritage reflected in a different light. Local attendees connected with relatives captured in the photos, including wedding scenes that reveal the rich culture and familial bonds of the Yazidis.

With a history of persecution, the Yazidis often face misconceptions about their identity. Basher hopes the revived images present a fuller picture, showing that, despite significant hardships, their cultural heritage and humanity endure. The idea or the picture they have in their mind about Iraq is so different from the reality, she said.

Found photos, history awakened

These historical photographs offer an inside look at Yazidi life, showcasing joyful moments and daily activities rather than solely their suffering. The archives serve as powerful acts of resistance against narratives shaped by violence.

Supported by the museum’s archivists, the rediscovered materials celebrate the resilience of the Yazidi people, reminding them and the world of their rich and diverse traditions.