Tomb of the Three Brothers

Palmyra began as a caravan city along trade routes between Rome, Persia, India, and China during the first century, and grew to a position of power among the cities of antiquity. The city was invaded and occupied by the Romans during the fourth century. Among the remains of Palmyra, the Tomb of the Three Brothers contains funerary paintings of the highest significance, incorporating iconography of Parthian and Greco-Roman origins.

The painted decorations of the ground floor include representations of Achilles in Skyros in a back niche, and pillars decorated with winged Victories bringing crowns. The vault has a central medallion with the scene of the kidnapping of Ganimedes, surrounded by a geometric pattern. These paintings were threatened by exposure to natural light, unmitigated public access, and prior attempts and conservation. Little documentation or survey work had been done at the site.

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