Never in the History of Humanity has the archaeological heritage of a country been subject to as many robberies, looting, and destruction as has Afghanistan.
Martyred country, yet fascinating by the wealth of its sites, the Afghan landscape kept in its bosom priceless treasures. Archaeological masterpieces of great artistic value, such as the Bamiyan cliff sheltering the famous Buddhas, the tallest statues in the Buddhist world, which had remained standing as the witnesses of the turbulent History of the peaceful valley.
The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues and the Twin Towers of New York brought worldwide awareness against the fanatics and terrorists.
Bamyian is a well known example, but many other Afghan Archaeological sites of equal wealth, such as the Hellenistic city of Ai Khanum, or the Buddhist site of Tape Shotor, to only mention two out of several dozens of monuments and sites world-renowned, have also been looted and destroyed.
Virtually every Museum in Afghanistan has been wrecked. Their objects have been stolen then sold to foreign countries, who ultimately should return these objects to the National Museum of Kabul, once the latter is restored or rebuild, elsewhere perhaps, closer to the Afghan capital’s town center.
Martyred country, yet fascinating by the wealth of its sites, the Afghan landscape kept in its bosom priceless treasures. Archaeological masterpieces of great artistic value, such as the Bamiyan cliff sheltering the famous Buddhas, the tallest statues in the Buddhist world, which had remained standing as the witnesses of the turbulent History of the peaceful valley.
The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues and the Twin Towers of New York brought worldwide awareness against the fanatics and terrorists.
Bamyian is a well known example, but many other Afghan Archaeological sites of equal wealth, such as the Hellenistic city of Ai Khanum, or the Buddhist site of Tape Shotor, to only mention two out of several dozens of monuments and sites world-renowned, have also been looted and destroyed.
Virtually every Museum in Afghanistan has been wrecked. Their objects have been stolen then sold to foreign countries, who ultimately should return these objects to the National Museum of Kabul, once the latter is restored or rebuild, elsewhere perhaps, closer to the Afghan capital’s town center.
I am proud to put myself at the disposal of our association APAA so that it benefits from my experience and my knowledge of the files concerning the Archaeological sites and monuments of Afghanistan.
It is taught in Universities that one is an archaeologist from vocation, this definition as noble as it may be to our eyes, is not sufficient, one also needs to love this profession-in my case-Afghan Archaeology.
Thanks to your help and support, we can bring a contribution in a serious, scientific and impartial manner to the renewal of Afghan Archaeology, as the dawn of better days will help us to forget the sinister nights of these past 24 years of obscurantism.
It is taught in Universities that one is an archaeologist from vocation, this definition as noble as it may be to our eyes, is not sufficient, one also needs to love this profession-in my case-Afghan Archaeology.
Thanks to your help and support, we can bring a contribution in a serious, scientific and impartial manner to the renewal of Afghan Archaeology, as the dawn of better days will help us to forget the sinister nights of these past 24 years of obscurantism.