Archeological Sites and Treasures in Afghanistan

 Balkh
 | 
 +- Balkh today only a small town in the Mazar-e-Sharif province,
 |   is very famous for its glorius past.
 | 
 +- Zoroaster preached here sometime between 1000 and 600 B.C.
 | 
 +- Rites celebratd at the shrine to Anahita, Godess of the Oxus,
 |  attracted thousands during the 5th Century B.C.
 | 
 +- Alexander the Great chose it for his base in the 4th Century B.C.
 | 
 +- Under the Kushans, when Buddhism was practiced throughout 
 |  Afghanistan, many holy temples flourished in Balkh.
 | 
 +- The Arabs called Balkh the mother of cities. By the 9th Century, 
 |  during the rule of the Samanid Dynasty, about 40 Friday Mosques 
 |  stood within the city.
 | 
 +- Balkh is the home of Rabia Balkhi, the first woman poet of
 |  Islamic period and of Mawlana jalaluddin Balkhi (Romi), perhaps
 |  the most distinguished Sufi poet.
 | 
 +- Balkh's glorious history closed in 1220 when the mounted men of 
 |  Genghis Khan rode through and left it utterly devastated. 
 | 
 +- The city, nevertheless, lying on an important trade route
    recovered under the enlightened rule of Shah Rukh and his Queen
    Gawahar Shad of Herat.

 

 Bot-e-Bamyan
 |
 +- An example of Budhist art of central Afghanistan.
 |
 +- At the both eastern and western approaches to Bamyan   
 |  a huge statue of Buddah was cut into the face of the rock.
 |  
 +- The smaller statue measures 120 feet (about 40 meters) and 
 |  and dates after 4th century AD.
 |  
 +- The larger statue measures 170 feet (about 50 meters) and 
    dates from the 5th century AD.

 
 

 Ghazni  
 |
 +- Ghazni, an important market town, particularly famous for
 |  embroidered sheepskin coats, was the dazzling capital of Ghaznawi
 |  Empire from  994-1160 A.D. encompassing much of northern India,
 |  Persia and Central Asia.
 |
 +- Many campaigns into India were launched from here resulting in the
 |  spread of Islam to the East.
 |
 +- This glorious city was rased to the ground by Arab invaders in 869,
 |  by the Ghorid Sultan Alauddin in 1151 and by Genghis Khan in 1221. 
 |
 +- Major points of interest:
    |
    +- The Palace of Sultan Masoud III
    |
    +- The Minarets: The two remaining Minarets, built by Sultan 
    |  Masoud III (1099-1114) and Bahram Shah (1118-1152), now only a 
    |  fraction of their original height, served as models for the
    |  spectacular tower of Jam which in turn inspired the Qutob Minar
    |  at Delhi.  The intricate decoration is in raised brick, without
    |  color and includes epigraphic friezes in square Kufi and Noshki
    |  script, and addition to panels of floral and geometric designs.
    |  That of Sultan Masoud is more elaborate.
    |
    +- Mosoleum of Sultan Mahmoud
    |
    +- Museum of Islamic Art
    |
    +- Tapa Sardar Stupa
    |
    +- The Tomb of Fateh Khan Barakzai



 

 Jalalabad Museum (Haddah)
 |
 +- Request For Information.

 
 

 Kabul Museum
 |
 +- Please see the section on looting of Kabul Museum and 
    those who are allegedly responsible for it at  The Looting of Kabul Museum  . 


 
 

 Munar-e-Jaam (Fairooz Koh)
 | 
 +- 200km East of Herat
 | 
 +- Eight centuries old
 | 
 +- 65 meters high 
 | 
 +- 2nd after Qutub Munar-e-Dehli  
 | 
 +- Possibly Build by Sultan Gheyasuddin 
 |  His name is mentioned 3 times on the writings on the Munar
 |  (588 Hejri == 1192 Christian Calendar) 
 | 
 +- On its side there was a great Mosque to which this Munaret  
 |  belonged.
 | 
 +- This Mosque and Minaret was build in a city which was spread
 |  on both banks of Road-e-Hariroad. This city was called Fairooz
 |  Koh
 | 
 +- Today this Minaret (800 years old) has a small inclination and
    is in need of support and reinforcement.
 
 
 

 Qala-e-Bost
 | 
 +- The ancient Qalai-i-Bost lies south of the city of Lashkargah,
 |  the capital of the Helmand Province. 
 | 
 +- Bost has been recognized in the Zoroastian hymns of the Avesta,
 |  in Achaemenid town lists and in 1st Century accounts.
 | 
 +- The city was taken by Muslim conquerors around 661 A.D.
 | 
 +- From the 11th until the middle of the 12th Century Bost prospered
 |  as the winter capital of the Ghaznawids.
 | 
 +- The city was burned and looted in 1151 by the Ghorids and then 
 |  completely demolished by Genghis Khan in 1220.
 | 
 +- Today the remains of the great palace of Masoud still give the 
 |  visitor an idea of the splendor of the court of what was then 
 |  the greatest Empire of the East.
 | 
 +- The most remarkable monument is the magnificently decorated arch 
    which has a span of 80 feet.