3 Oct 2015 145 artefacts from Afghanistan

The precious cargo arrived six years ago from Kabul, Afghanistan, to the Czech Republic. Archaeologists "brought back" 145 artefacts, which they later presented to the public. It was a unique collection, unprecedented in Europe until then.

Archaeologist and curator of the National Museum Ľubomír Novák commented on the event at the time. He revealed that the artefacts came mainly from the Mes Aynak site south of Kabul, but also from other sites.

Among the highlights were statues of Buddhas or bodhisattvas made of slate and then a large number of other Buddhist statues made of unfired clay. For example, statues that are decorated with golden stucco. The artefacts are related to the participation of Czech soldiers in the Afghan missions. The archaeologists should have been restricted to outside the Czech embassy.

The transport of the objects was complicated by the security situation there. "As a result, my colleague and I had the opportunity to go to the Kabul museum only three times. But even in this short time, we managed to pack everything in cooperation with the Afghan curators, bring it to the airport, load it on the plane and bring it to Prague," Novák recalled.

The new exhibition, Afghanistan - Rescued Treasures of Buddhism, opened at the National Thimble Museum in early 2016. The Military History Institute Prague participated in the exhibition.
"The exhibition is a reminder that Afghanistan, despite all theAfghanistan is a country with an extremely rich cultural tradition. Among its most endangered cultural heritage, Buddhist monuments have been systematically destroyed by the Taliban in recent years. I am therefore very pleased that our soldiers, alongside archaeologists and museum staff, have made a significant contribution to saving part of it. The authors of the exhibition have chosen an unconventional concept, building on the contrast of archaeological findings with objects that Czech soldiers encounter and have encountered in Afghanistan. This concept is not only a reflection of the path that Afghanistan is currently on, but I see it as a reminder of of all the soldiers who are or have been putting their lives on the line every day in this country," said Lieutenant General Josef Bečvář.

The monuments in Afghanistan were destroyed by the Taliban. The radical Islamic State movement has also devastated ancient cities in Syria and Iraq.

Sources: www.rozhlas.cz, www.vhu.cz, www.ceskatelevize.cz