Archaeology of Afghanistan
Located on the strategic crossroads of Iran, India, China and Central Asia, Afghanistan boasts a diverse cultural and religious history.
Archaeology of Afghanistan, mainly conducted by British and French antiquarians, has had a heavy focus on the treasure filled Buddhist monasteries that lined the silk road from the 1st c. BCE – 6th c. AD.
Chinese voyagers on their way to visit holy Buddhist temples in Northern India were the first recorders of ancient cultural sites and artefacts.
[5]: 4 The Chinese monk Xuanzang left records dating from the seventh century and detail descriptions of ancient Buddhist artefacts such as the Bamiyan temples.
[6] This work was commenced mainly after the British Indian Army officers travelled through the mainland and uncovered the treasures of Afghanistan's ancient history.
[8] This British antiquarian is also known to have surveyed and excavated a significant number of Buddhist artefacts around Kabul and Jalalabad alongside his discoveries from ancient Kapisa, Kushan capital of Begram in the 1st–3rd centuries C.E.
The 30,000 coins he recovered during these excavations play a large role in defining the basis of Greco-Bactrain, Indo-Parthian, and Kushan numismatic history of Afghanistan.
This contract established Délégation Archéologique Française en Afghanistan (DAFA), giving the exclusive right of archeological research in the nation to France.
Archaeological research under DAFA traced the prosperous societies along the silk road mainly focusing on the Buddhist monasteries of the Kushan and Hellenistic periods.
The Afghan Institute of Archaeology was established in 1966 which attracted the attention of many foreign missions and resulted in important discoveries post-Second World War.
surveyed portions of central Afghanistan while Shahibiya Mostamandi and Zemaryalai Tarzi initiated full scale excavations at Hadda (Tepe Sotor).
[12] : 11 The next step was on February 26, 2001, a statement was made by Mullah Mohammed Omar from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan calling for the destruction of all non-Islamic iconography.
[13]: 17 Only a month after this statement was released, explosives were planted and detonated resulting in the collapse of the two Buddhas as well as causing significant further instability of the cliff niches.
The recent occupation of Afghanistan in February 2021[14] has put cultural experts on high alert as they remember the past consequences of Taliban rule.
Due to Afghanistan’s long and rich cultural history, what the Taliban would consider ‘sacrilegious’ monuments are commonly encountered in the archaeological field and littered across the country.
One reason for why looting is such a significant venture for locals is a lack of cultural education and a feeling of disconnect with the land as a result of civil unrest.
[20] : 347 There have been initiatives in the past to try and remove artefacts form harms way and avoid instances of looting during tumultuous periods of time in the country.
[22] These relics were packed and transported to the Hotel Inter-Continental Kabul, historically a safe house for foreigners and used by United Nations staff.
On the 23rd of April, 1997, ten relics originally belonging to the National Museum of Afghanistan were bought from a group of Pakistani traders carrying out business in Peshawar.
[23]: 59 In addition to funding, UNESCO have supported the Afghan government as they endeavour to spread awareness about the importance of Afghanistan cultural heritage.
