16-05-2011
It is always refreshing to hear something about Afghanistan that does not relate to war and violence. This is why the extension of the British Museum exhibition on Afghanistan until mid-July is good news for all those who wish to learn more about the immense cultural richness of this country. The exhibition displays some of its most beautiful treasures, dating back from the Bronze Age to the 1st century AD. It gathers over 200 objects, ranging from classical sculptures to inlaid gold ornaments, mainly coming from the collection of the National Museum of Afghanistan.
The fate of some of these treasures over the past decades reflects the troubled history of Afghanistan during the same period. Discovered by the Greco-Russian archaeologist Victor Sarigiannidis in six different tombs in the North of the country, in 1978, on the eve of the Soviet invasion, these objects were saved by the staff of the National Museum from the great turmoil that followed. While the National Museum was looted and bombed and most of its treasures lost forever, these objects survived in the safety boxes of the National Bank. It is only in 2003, while Afghanistan was in the middle of another conflict, that President Karzai announced that the treasures had resurfaced. The fragile destiny of Afghan treasures makes the present exhibition even more important.
There is another reason why this exhibition is worth noting. As suggested by the subtitle – Crossroads of the Ancient World – it is useful to remind us of the long history of the country, once opened to multiple cultural influences and trade exchanges, going against the common present perception of Afghanistan as an inherently closed and isolated country. The Museum’s director said it was part of the initial project to ‘demonstrate that [this is] a historically anomalous moment’[i] in the long history of Afghanistan. An opportunity to see another picture of Afghanistan is rare these days, it is better not to miss it!
http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/future_exhibitions/afghanistan.aspx
[i] Quoted by The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/nov/29/afghanistan-treasure-british-museum
