Afghanistan
Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul
Fredrik Hiebert
This is the official companion to the exhibition held at the following museums: - National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. May 25 - Sept. 7, 2008 - Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, California October 24, 2008 - January 25, 2009 - The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston, Texas February 22 - May 17, 2009 - The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, New York June 23 - Sept. 20, 2009 Almost 30 years ago, a precious trove of art was spirited away from the National Museum of Afghanistan by a small group of "keyholders" ?museum guards, curators, and antiquities lovers who risked their lives to save the country?s cultural treasures. Their actions spared these magnificent pieces from the threat of destruction, first by the invading Soviets in 1979 and more recently by the Taliban. Exquisitely crafted in gold and ivory, the artifacts illustrate Afghanistan?s key place at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, at the center of the ancient Silk Road?a rich heritage to be displayed at four major U.S. museums through 2009. Crowning this headline-making exhibition is a famous hoard of Bactrian gold, considered to be one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

Price: Bht 1,195.00