For two decades, archaeologists and scholars were baffled by the disappearance of 22,000 pieces of ancient gold that disappeared from an Afghan burial mound in the 1980's. Was it spirited away by the Soviet military during its invasion or destroyed in the Taliban's purge of more than 70% of the country's artistic heritage?
Turns out a mysterious group of Afghani citizens kept this invaluable ancient Bactrian gold hoard as well as other irreplacable treasures patiently secured away in secret vaults in the presidential palace at great personal risk. Now, some of these treasures are part of a special exhibition at the Guimet Museum in France.
The exhibition entitled Rediscovered Treasures, Collections from the national museum of Kabul will put findings from four major archaeological sites - Fulol, Aï-Khanoum, Tillia-Tepe and Begram - on display to the public. Behind the unique and exciting story of these rediscovered treasures, the exhibition pays tribute to the history of Afghanistan, which lay at the centre of kingdoms and empires extending all the way from Central Asia to northern India.
Thanks to the outstanding display of 220 items, the exhibition gives a perspective on the development of Afghan history, from the Bronze Age to the Kushan empire. Even though the objects displayed have different geographical and historic origins, they also celebrate the continuity, the uniqueness and the wealth of the Afghan heritage, in a region that has been influenced by so many cultures: Iranian and Near Eastern, Indian, Scythian, Chinese and Hellenistic.
The golden vases from Fulol hark back to the Bactrian civilisation (2200-1800 BC) and to the vital role played by that region in the exchanges between the Middle East and the Indus civilisation. Another site of world renown, the Aï-Khanoum site (end of the 4th century to the mid 2nd century BC), was discovered and then excavated by the French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan (DAFA), between 1964 and 1978. It demonstrates just how far Hellenism penetrated into Central Asia, and the lasting influence of this culture in the region. The gold ingots remind us just how wealthy were the Greek adventurers, while the Cybele plate illustrates the symbiotic relationship with more oriental traditions.
The necropolis of Tillia-Tepe, the “golden hill” (1st Century BC), at the northern border was the last major discovery made before Afghanistan was plunged into chaos. Six intact princely tombs, containing some very beautiful funerary decorations, were excavated by a team of Afghano-Soviet archaeologists, supervised by Victor Sariandi. Pendants, a belt, Chinese mirrors, Indian ivory and even Greco-Roman intaglio all serve to underline Afghanistan’s strategic position on the Steppe Route.
The Begram treasure marks a development, by showing how the centre of power shifted southwards. The objects found by DAFA in 1937 and 1939 therefore bear witness to the power and wealth of a court which was believed to be Kushan when it was discovered (1st to 3rd Centuries); a court under the influence of the Indian, Chinese and Greek worlds. The exhibition brings together certain objects most representative of the Kabul collections, such as Indian ivories, Hellenistic bronzes, even a batch of glassware which appears to the oldest example of Greco-Roman glasses.
The exhibition is accompanied by the restoration of a great many works with the aim of reintegrating hem into the Kabul museum collections. The presentation reveals a very particular facet of Afghanistan, given the current political climate. Through this restoration, and by giving due acknowledgement to the marvellous Afghan heritage, as well as the cultural influences which fed into it, this unique exhibition reminds us of the fragility of these treasures, and the necessity of protecting them. Indeed, these sites are loci memoriae for the Afghan people, in a country which is slowly and gradually trying to reconstruct itself.
The exhibition runs through April 30, 2007. For more information visit http://www.guimet.fr/
I went to APT as an excursion with my sochol's art classes. I loved all the interesting and different art works displayed! I told my family about it the exhibition and they all want to go too :) I really liked the string room and the elk! If you're bored and out in the city, APT6 is definitly a recommended place to go.
Posted by: Hamada | April 27, 2012 at 11:12 PM