Syria's antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters the images did appear to show the destruction of the ancient Baal Shamin temple and correlated with descriptions given by residents of the explosion detonated there on Sunday.
Five photos were distributed on social media showing explosives being carried inside, being planted around the walls of the temple, a large blast and then rubble.
The blast photo shows a huge cloud of grey smoke soaring above the temple, with ancient columns in the foreground.
This undated file photo shows shows militants laying explosives in the 2,000-year-old temple of Baalshamin in Syria's ancient caravan city of Palmyra. (Islamic State social media account via AP) Source: The website of Islamic State
Reuters could not independently verify the pictures. Activists say Islamic State is tightly controlling communications in the central desert city.
UNESCO has described the temple and Palmyra's surrounding sites as symbols of Syria's historical cultural diversity, which it says Islamic State is seeking to obliterate.
"It stood as it was for more than 1,800 years... It was a beautiful tourist attraction," antiquities chief Abdulkarim said by telephone.
He said Islamic State had sought to destroy Palmyra's culture and economy, as well as killing the long-serving keeper of its ancient ruins.
This undated photo released shows the demolished 2,000-year-old temple of Baalshamin in Syria's ancient caravan city of Palmyra. (Islamic State social media account via AP) Source: The website of Islamic State
