This paper aims at putting past and present processes of cultural destruction in dialogue. The intentional destruction of cultural heritage, especially religious heritage, is a central element in mass violence and genocide generally. Claims for the restitution of surviving religious and artistic objects often feature in post-conflict processes of survival or reconciliation. Specifically, the widespread destruction of cultural heritage is a well-known dimension of the Armenian Genocide, but has only recently been the subject of sustained investigation. Is the culture of a community that was subjected to genocide, discrimination, or minoritization included in the official state heritage, is it excluded, erased or appropriated? What are the implications for the cultural heritage sector in general, and for specific objects and sites of cultural heritage of the community in particular? The history and cultural heritage of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire and Turkey since the end of World War II shed light on the long-term impacts of genocide, minoritization, and state power. This presentation makes use of Peter Balakian’s notion of “captive sites” in reference to architectural and religious constructions that remain on site, and my concept of “survivor objects” in reference to portable objects looted or displaced in the wake of genocide and displacement. This presentation will examine how such categories can help us understand the process of cultural destruction in Gaza, and how contemporary processes of cultural destruction can help us understand past atrocities.