Archaeology Magazine - March/April 1996 - 122

and schist reliefs dating between the first and third centuries A.D. and Hindu marble statuary from the seventh
and ninth centuries have been taken, as have carved
ivories in classic Indian styles from Begram, site of the
summer capital of the Kushan Empire in the early centuries A.D. Also missing are many of the museum's
prized examples of the renowned metalwork of the
Ghaznavids, whose sumptuous capital flourished 90
miles southwest of Kabul during the tenth and eleventh
centuries. Many of these pieces are destined for sale in
Islamabad, London, New York, and Tokyo.
Afghanistan's first national museum was inaugurated
by King Amanullah in November 1924 at Koti
Baghcha, a small palace built by the founder of
Afghanistan's royal dynasty, Amir Abdur Rahman

center of Kabul for safekeeping. They were returned in
October 1980, when the museum reopened. British
and American friends still living in Kabul checked the
exhibits against the 1974 museum guide and found
that only two small gold repoussé elephant masks, pilfered in November 1978, were missing. According to
another rumor, Victor Sarianidi of the Soviet-Afghan
archaeological mission, which had excavated a hoard
of more than 20,000 gold ornaments from six burial
mounds called Tillya-tepe, had taken the gold to the
Soviet Union. The first-century B.C. to first-century
A.D. hoard, however, was shown to an international
conference on Kushan studies in Kabul in November
1978. The Kabul government also displayed it to the
diplomatic corps toward the end of 1991, after which
the gold was packed in boxes and
placed in a vault of the National Bank
inside the palace, where it is said to be
today.
As unrest threatened Kabul in February 1989, following the departure of
Soviet troops, the museum staff crated,
packed, and stored the bulk of the collections in the museum's storerooms.
Only objects too heavy to move were
left in situ. Astonishingly, one of the
largest and heaviest pieces, a 33-inchhigh second- to fifth-century A.D. Buddhist schist relief from Shotorak,
one night from an upper
8 disappeared
corridor. How thieves managed to
b steal it without
being detected remains
§ a mystery. Still, the museum survived
the rule of the Democratic Republic of
Nlapshows archaeological sites whose artifacts formed the collections of the
National Museumin Darulaman, a southern suburb of the capital, Kabul.
Afghanistan and the Soviet occupation
relatively intact.
In
1931
its
were
transferred
The
to
(1880-1891).
holdings
subsequent breakdown of law and order has
the present building in Darulaman. By this time the
been disastrous for the museum. Although united in
collection had been enriched by the work of the Déléridding the country of the Soviets and their DRA
en
which
clients, the seven major mujahideen factions that
gation Archéologique Française
Afghanistan,
a
in
after
was
with
France
the Islamic State of Afghanistan in April 1992
founded
began
treaty
signed
September 1922. After World War II, numerous archaeologinever formed lasting alliances, and the accord estabcal missions, including
those of the Italians,
lishing the new government under President Burhanudand
condin Rabbani had little substance. With no common
Americans, Japanese, British, Indians,
Soviets,
ducted excavations. The first Afghan-directed work was
enemy, the factions have fought one another for
carried out at a Buddhist site at Hadda in eastern
power. In May 1993 Hezbe Wahdat, a group led by
in
1965.
missions
Abdul Ali Mazarí, took control of the Darulaman valAfghanistan
Foreign archaeological
were bound by agreements guaranteeing that all excaley. Museum staff civil servants in President Rabbani's
vated objects would be deposited with the government
were forbidden to visit the museum
government
of Afghanistan. In 1966 the Afghan Institute of
because it was in enemy territory. One staff member,
Archaeology was established in Darulaman to receive
Najibullah Popal, risked a visit and found crates and
these finds; exceptional items were placed in the
boxes in place, but could not check their contents or
museum. A unique feature of the museum was the fact
that of the many cabinets. He noted, however, that
that more than 90 percent of its exhibits were scientifitwo schist reliefs were now missing. The rocket attack
excavated
inside
came the following week as fighting between Hezbe
cally
Afghanistan.
Claims that the Soviets had carted off the museum's
Wahdat and Rabbani's government troops intensified.
treasures to the Hermitage in Leningrad arose from the
Popal returned and found the Delbarjin-tepe wall
1979
removal
of
the
museum's
collections
to
the
April
painting burned beyond repair. The boxes and crates

Archaeology

Archaeology Magazine - March/April 1996

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