The archaeological and historical communities are deeply dismayed about ISIS destroying archaeological sites and materials in the last few weeks.

We have seen pictures of ISIS smashing statues and artifacts in the Mosul museum. ISIS soldiers have reportedly destroyed buildings at the ancient Assyrian cities Ninevah and Nimrud in Iraq.

ISIS is also believed to be selling Assyrian and other antiquities on the illegal international antiquities market.

As an archaeologist, I find all of these actions reprehensible and sad. They damage the historical heritage of all of us, and of people in Syria and Iraq in particular. That is no small thing.

But archaeologists are not surprised by ISIS’s acts of destruction.