Main content
Art of Asia
Crossroads of the Ancient World
Discover the remarkable story of the survival, discovery and display of these ancient treasures. © Trustees of the British Museum. Created by British Museum.
Want to join the conversation?
The art that is shown is both very Western and very Eastern, why is that?(2 votes)
Because Afghanistan lies in a such a place that it takes many Western and Eastern influences.(3 votes)
Where can I find more information about Afghanistan?(1 vote)
If you're interested in the art and art history, go here: http://www.afghanistan-culture.com/afghanistan-art.html(1 vote)
The thing at 54, was it a skeleton?(1 vote)
Yes it appears to be a skull in a helmet maybe but to me it seems animated almost(1 vote)
I feel really bad for them after everything that had been destroyed.
who would destroy things that were special to them(1 vote)- At "https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-history/art-asia/south-asia/afghanistan/a/bamiyan-buddhas", there is an explanation for that:
...Iconoclasm comes from Greek and means to break images. There is a long tragic history of the willful destruction of art work for short-term political gain, often under the guise of religious belief. Major iconoclastic spasms include the Byzantine Iconoclasms of the 8th and 9th centuries, the destruction of Catholic artwork during the Protestant Reformation and later during the French Revolution, and most recently, the crimes committed by ISIL against the people and the cultural heritage of Iraq and Syria....(1 vote)
Video transcript
Afghanistan a nation at the crossroads of the ancient world since the Soviet invasion in 1979 this country has suffered decades of war terrible damage has been done to ancient monuments sites and museums in 1989 staff at the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul hid their most treasured items keeping them safe throughout the years of turmoil and later Taliban rule now these unique objects are traveling the world telling the story of Afghanistan's ancient civilization and the nation's pivotal role at the heart of the Silk Road the vast network of trading routes that stretched from China to the Mediterranean discover the complex beauty of these rediscovered masterpieces at the British Museum between them they tell the story of Afghanistan and it's vital place in the world you you