Hidden Treasures from the National Museum of Afghanistan

Dr Jean Mulder

Dr Jean Mulder, who travelled with Uzbek Journeys in 2012 and is returning to Central Asia in 2014, is a senior lecturer in the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne.

Nearly 230 artefacts from the National Museum in Kabul, Afghanistan, are currently touring Australia. The archaeological treasures that make up this grand exhibit beautifully display ancient Afghanistan’s role as a key player in the exchange of goods and ideas along the trade routes of the Silk Road. Equally intriguing are the modern-day stories that are told of the artefacts’ discovery, excavation, and heroic rescue.

The exhibit covers four archaeological sites. The oldest is Tepe Fullol, a Bronze Age oasis that was in full swing a long time before the Silk Road trade began. Large irrigation systems enabled oasis people such as those of Tepe Fullol to crop the northern Afghanistan desert plains, build fortified settlements and pursue artistic craftsmanship.

Dragon master pendant 1st century AD

On display are gold bowl fragments, dating back 4,000 years, which are decorated both with local motifs and designs from the distant cultures of the Middle East suggesting that even the people of this era were involved in long distance trade.

The former Greek city Aï Khanum, the second site covered in the exhibit, is also in the region of northern Afghanistan which is known to the West as Bactria.

Different cases bring to life various parts of the city, with the bronze, ivory and stone sculptures not only telling us about the legacy of Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Persian Empire (334-323 B.C.), but also about the melding of local and other Asian ideas, products and culture in this far-flung outreach of the Greek empire. Regretfully, Aï Khanum, which was abandoned around 130 BC., is the only true Greco-Bactrian settlement that has ever been excavated.

The greatest archaeological treasures found in Afghanistan, if not in all of Central Asia, are from the third and fourth sites, Begram and Tillya Tepe. And they are truly breathtaking.

But just as enthralling are the stories around these riches.  Sometime in the first century A.D., in a fertile valley to the south of the massive Hindu Kush mountains, at the confluence of ancient and modern Silk Road trade routes connecting Afghanistan to Pakistan, for some unknown reason someone in Begram bricked shut two storerooms filled with luxury goods. There they remained, abandoned, until nearly 80 years ago when archaeologists unearthed the two sealed rooms with their undisturbed array of glassware, bronzes, alabaster objects from the Roman world, fragments of Chinese lacquer boxes and bowls, and Indian-style reliefs carved in ivory and bone. (One can only imagine the celebrating that night.)

Plate depicting Cybele pulling lions, 2nd century BC

The experts are still debating whether goods in these two rooms are a royal treasure hoard or a merchant trader’s stock. In either event they give us an excellent view of the range and richness of the commodities being traded along the Silk Road at its height. 

In some ways, though, the real highlight of the exhibit is the exquisite collection of gold artefacts from the famed ‘Bactrian Hoard’ – objects from the 2,000 year old graves of six Bactrian nomads discovered at Tillya Tepe ‘Hill of Gold’ in northern Afghanistan in 1978 but hidden from view until 2003.

The objects themselves range from a crown that was collapsible, with five removable trees of life that could be attached to the golden band, to other jewellery, clasps, appliqués, hair ornaments, belts and bejewelled swords, daggers and sheaths. Included in this sumptuousness are shoe soles cut from thin gold sheet. Clearly they were not to be used for walking. (Like some neighbouring cultural regions, they were actually a sign of an aristocratic way of life.)

Collapsible gold crown, Tilya Tepe, 1st century AD

While the displays show the metamorphosis of Silk Road art into a unique, highly refined style with workmanship of exceptional quality, what is as remarkable is the story of the Afghan heroes who risked their lives to hide and protect these and other ancient treasures of Afghanistan’s past.

I had the good fortunate to see this exhibit just before it finished in Melbourne. It not only left me very nostalgic for my trip to Uzbekistan, arranged by Uzbek Journeys, but it also gave me a greater understanding of the historical timelines  and cultural significance of places and events that I learned about during my recent initiation to Central Asia.

If you are travelling to Central Asia, whether for the first or the umpteenth time, or are interested in the cultural heritage of this region, the exhibit is a must-see. The catalogue is highly recommended.

The remaining Australian exhibition dates are:

Queensland Museum: 5 September 2013 – 27 January 2014
Art Gallery of New South Wales:  6 March – 1 June 2014
Western Australian Museum:  5 July – 16 November 2014

Glass flask in the shape of a fish, 1st century AD

Related posts:
Afghan Art - Tradition & Continuity at the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha

Alexander the Great's March from St Petersburgh to Sydney 

Image source: All images by Thierry Olivier, Musée Guimet, Paris

Duke Ellington's Kabul Gig 1963

Ellington arrives into Kabul, Credit: Special Collections, University of Arkansas

Delving into Central Asia regularly throws up unexpected and compelling stories.

Thanks to the BBC's Monica Whitlock I learnt about Duke Ellingotn's 1963 tour to the Middle East and South Asia, including Kabul. Who knew? (Whitlock, by the way, is the author of the excellent book Beyond the Oxus, which focuses on the upheaval in traditional lives after the Soviets arrived in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan).

As part of its Cold War strategy, the US State Department created a "jazz diplomacy" program. As well as Afghanistan, Ellington and his orchestra toured Jordan, Lebanon, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Turkey for 10 weeks. The tour was cut short by President Kennedy's assassination.

Ellington remembered "riding round all night long" after the concert, listening to Afghan music in cafés.  "They have their own thing going on there, and it's good," he told BBC chat show host Michael Parkinson in 1973. His album Far East Suite was released four years after the tour and won a Grammy Award for best instrumental jazz performance.

Album cover with Duke Ellington seated on a Persian carpet

Ellington was not the first jazz musician to perform there. Dave Brubeck played Kabul in 1953 and said that the piece Nomad on the album Impressions of Eurasia was inspired by his visit there.

This is a fascinating slice of Afghan history. Iranian-based architect and jazz fan Ehsan Khoshbakht has written an excellent piece on the entire tour Far of the Middle: Ellington's 1963 State Department Tour.

Monica Whitlock's article includes Ellington's interview with Michael Parkinson and photographs of a surprisingly modern Kabul. Her 15-minute interview with Faiz Khairzada, who organised the concert, and now lives in the USA, is fascinating.

Related posts:
Skateistan - Empowering Afghan Youth Through Skateboarding
White Silk Road - Snowboarding Afghanistan
Uzbek Divas: Capturing the Poetic Traditions of Central Asia
Samarkand's Musical Traditions

Burana, Kyrgyzstan: Medieval Settlement & Central Asia's Oldest Minaret

Lilya Kas'yanova

Lilya Kas'yanova, one of Kyrgyzstan's finest guides, is passionate about the history, art and craft of her country. A graduate in Linguistics and Intercultural Communications from I. Arabaev Kyrgyz State University, she is also a keen photographer and hiker. Lilya, who regularly leads Uzbek Journeys tours in Kyrgyzstan, will contribute occasional articles about her areas of interest.

For hundreds of years the emerald-like mountain areas of what is now Kyrgyzstan have been the realms of nomads, who moved according to the seasons. There are few historical monuments in Kyrgyzstan, however, those that remain are architectural jewels. One of these is Burana Tower, about 80 kms east of the capital, Bishkek.

At the beginning of the 10th century the Karakhanid dynasty came to power in the Semirechie region and the central Tien Shan mountains area.  The Karakhanid khanate was the largest feudal state in Central Asia from the 10th to 12th centuries AD.

Burana Tower - Silk Road Milestone, image Rosemary Sheel

The minaret is almost all that remains of Balasagun, the Karakhanid’s capital on the Silk Road. It is located 12 kms south of present day Tokmok town, in the Chui Valley.

It was the birthplace of the eminent Turkic scholar and philosopher Yusuf al-Balasaguni, from whom the town received its name. Yusuf Balasaguni created the first Turkic didactic treatise – Kutadgu Bilig (The Beneficent Knowledge). In the poem the author deals with questions of politics, state administration, standards of conduct, and sense of life. At the same time, the book is a mine of popular wisdom, and a valuable source to study the history, culture and life of Central Asian people.

In 950 AD Satuk Bogra-Khan became the ruler of Balasagun. He heeded the persuasions of the Sufi missionaries, and appeared to be the first among the Karakhanid aristocracy who converted to Islam. Later, in 960 AD, his son Musa Baitash, proclaimed Islam as the official state religion in the Karakhanid Empire.

Balasagun did not suffer during the Mongol invasions of Central Asia in the 13th century.  The population practised Buddhism, Manichean and Nestorian Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and the cult of Tengri (paganism). The Mongols announced religious tolerance and equality and so the Balasagun town dwellers opened the gates and let the Mongol detachment enter the settlement. In memory of that peaceful invasion, the settlement received a new name – Gobalyk, which means "Good Town". Gradually, however, the town lost its importance and by the 15th century it was almost extinct.

Burana Tower, image Lilya Kas'yanova

The Soviets undertook major exploratory excavations at the site in the 1920s, 1950s and 1970s. The surveys revealed a palace complex, dynastic cemetery, water supply channel, bathhouse, and urban areas that included clusters of dwelling units, shops and workshops.

The medieval settlement consisted of a tetragonal stronghold, representing the central part of the town. A large area surrounded it. The total area covered by the settlement was 25-30 square kms.

Today you can see the ruins of the palace complex or temple, which existed before the 10th century, i.e. before the settlement foundation. Also, near the tower it is possible to see the foundations of three mausoleums, and 150 meters to the northwest from the ruins of the palace complex, traces of a monumental structure.

Based on the results of the excavations, it was found that the tower was built in the first half of the 11th century AD.  Burana tower is considered to be one of the first structures of its type on the territory of Central Asia. Scholars presuppose that the mosque sided with the tower from the west. Access to the minaret would have been through the mosque’s roof or by removable stairs. The tower was 45 meters high and built from burnt bricks on gypsum and clay mortar. The top of the minaret was crowned by a cupola-lantern, which was destroyed during one of the powerful earthquakes in the 15th century.  Today the minaret is 24.7 metres high.

The  tower had three purposes:
    1.     a minaret, from the top of which muezzin called faithful people to pray,
    2.     a watchtower, and
    3.     a lighthouse (reference point) that indicated the way to the settlement for Silk Road merchants

Balbal (grave statue), image  Lilya Kas'yanova

A visit to Burana Tower is part of all Uzbek Journeys tours to Kyrgyzstan. If you visit in spring, the fields it stands in are often covered in red poppies. There is a small museum and shop, which sells books on Kyrgyz craft in English. There is also an open-air museum of balbals – grave statues – moved here from different regions of Kyrgyzstan.

Contact Lilya on: lolya.87(at) mail (dot) ru

Related posts:
5 Reasons to Visit Kyrgyzstan
6 Quirky Things About Kyrgyzstan

Studying Russian in Kyrgyzstan: The London School Bishkek

Apartment block with brilliant mosaics - close to TLSB

Despite moves in the educational curricula in Central Asia to teach English in primary schools and the gradual shift from the Cyrillic to the Latin alphabet, Russian remains the lingua franca of the region.

Speaking Russian ensures you can chat with taxi drivers, yurt makers and bazaar vendors. Reading Russian means you can manage maps and menus. For me, it also means I can have a better handle on the contracts I conclude and discussions I have with my agency partners in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

So this June I undertook a 4-week intensive Russian program at The London School, Bishkek (TLSB). Why Bishkek? Because the program has an excellent reputation and is far less expensive than studying in Russia.  And Bishkek is a pleasant, provincial city, particularly in summer.

Three enterprising women established TLSB in 1998. It provides one-on-one Russian and Kyrgyz programs for foreign students and local expatriates as well as English programs for Bishkek locals, particularly young people.  All Russian classes are conducted in individual classrooms by competent, English-speaking staff and the fee is US$6 per hour.

Students have the opportunity to stay at the on-site dormitory or to live with a Russian-speaking Kyrgyz family. I opted for the US$8 per night dormitory. My basic room had a bed, a wardrobe, a chair, a table and two power points. The rate included weekly cleaning. I shared a simple kitchen and bathroom with one other student and there was also a washing machine. TLSB has a library (though books can only be used in the library itself) and a small cafeteria.

Jyldyz Abdygazieva - administrator extraordinaire at TLSB

I was enrolled in the morning program: four days a week, from 8:30 a.m. – 2:20 p.m., with three 10-minute breaks and a half-hour lunch. There was no textbook. The program was electronically based, including homework, which regularly took me about five hours a night. The school offers free, revision classes on Wednesday afternoons, which I had planned to do. However, once I arrived I understood why Wednesday is a free day - apart from time for chores, my brain was exploding!

TLSB also arranges day and weekend trips: hiking near Bishkek, visits to Issyk Kul lake etc., for which a modest fee is charged. I did not participate in these, as I know those areas very well and preferred to focus on my studies.

Jyldyz Abdygazieva was the administrative point person for the Russian program. Jyldyz is a dynamo, patiently managing a whole range of issues for a disparate and demanding group of learners.

The school’s location is convenient. It is a 30-minute walk to the city centre or a 10-minute 10-soum ride in a marshrutka (local collective mini-bus). A large shopping centre, VEFA, is just two minutes by foot. As well as a ground-floor supermarket there are cinemas and fast food restaurants on VEFA's top floor. My favourite café, however, was Cave Coffee, around the corner from TLSB at 19 Gorky Street. The decor was cool, the reasonably priced menu included many fresh options and the wifi was fast and reliable. It is open 24/7.

Inside the very cool Cave Coffee, around the corner from TLSB

I was very impressed with my program and the quality of the staff. Below are some suggestions of easy steps that TLSB can undertake to make its programs even better. TLSB advises me that they already working on some of the proposals, such as a grammar guide for the beginners' program and a welcome kit.

1. Ensure a fast, reliable wifi service.  

This was the most-voiced complaint by students. The wifi regularly crashed and on weekends there was little technical support. Given that all homework is based on accessing the course e-books via wifi, it is crucial that students have reliable internet access.

2.  Provide a simple FAQ/welcome kit for students

It would be very convenient for students (and time-saving for TLSB's staff) to provide an FAQ about staying and studying at TLSB.  For example, sheets (though somewhat smaller than the beds) are provided, but not a towel. Suggest students bring a power board to make up for the lack of power points in the room. (My room had two power points, though most had only one). Advise that from mid-May through mid-June there is no hot water in Bishkek. (To undertake essential maintenance  on Bishkek's central heating system, hot water is unavailable every year from 11 May - 11 June).

Although staying with a local Russian-speaking family seems a sensible option to practise the language, most families with whom students stayed did not have internet access. Some families lived 30 kms from TLSB so commuting times are long. Families take their responsibility of looking after a student very seriously - you are expected to advise them where you are, when you will be back etc.

A map of the city (freely available in Bishkek's hotels) could be included in a welcome kit for students, along with advice about buying a local mobile phone/sim card (cheap and worthwhile), changing money at exchange offices and general tips about staying in Bishkek.

3.  Suggest materials to bring.

It would be helpful to advise students to bring a dictionary and any grammar books they already have. Dictionaries in Bishkek’s only bookstore were scarce and expensive. TLSB's library does not permit borrowing and the programs are entirely online.

4.  Match the teacher's English-language skills with the level of the learner.

 

View of Bishkek city centre

For a complete beginner Russian is extremely complex and progress can be expedited if the teacher can explain grammatical rules in clear English.

5.  Fix the errors in the e-books. 

These books form the basis of the lessons and homework. There were many confounding mistakes that could have been immediately remedied by the network administrator. It would also be helpful if stress marks are included on words. Although in written Russian they are not inserted, it could increase reading confidence in the early stages.

6.  Fix the locks.

There were many problems opening and locking dormitory doors and the main gate to the school. This is a basic safety issue that should be addressed seriously by the school.

So – how is my Russian? Not nearly as good as I had hoped, despite the dedication of my excellent teachers! It is such a beautiful, rich language. And such a difficult one.

I thought I had mastered the Cyrillic alphabet and on one level I had. But I struggle with pronouncing three or four consonants together. And knowing where to place the stress on a word is still a mystery, as a stress mark is not used in text. Some handwritten letters bear no resemblance whatsoever to their printed form. I pride myself on my foreign language skills, so it has been a humbling experience.

Overall, my time at TLSB was positive and I have enrolled for another month in June 2014. This time I should be better equipped to manage my time and learning at TLSB and look forward to big strides in my Russian. If you are interested in learning Russian there visit The London School Bishkek's website.

Related posts:
6 Quirky Things About Kyrgyzstan
5 Reasons to Visit Kyrgyzstan

Katta Langar's Masterpieces of Islamic Architecture - Near Shakhrisabz, Southern Uzbekistan

View of Katta Langar's Mausoleum 

What a marvellous surprise to discover Katta Langar's 15th century mosque and mausoleum in the Shakhrisabz region.

I have visited Shakhrisabz many times as a day trip from Samarkand to view the city's World Heritage monuments. However, I was unfamiliar with the surrounding area.

Roaming around there this autumn revealed how important it is to keep exploring Uzbekistan, especially the countryside. Both these buildings are masterpieces of 15th century Islamic architecture.

During the last quarter of the 15th century there was rivalry among diverse Sufi groups: the Naqshbandi order prevailed, and the Ishqiya group retreated to the secluded Katta Langar valley. The mosque and mausoleum were commissioned soon after the group's arrival.

The mausoleum houses the tomb of the powerful, local sheik Mohammed Sadik, who died in 1545, and two family members.  An unknown noble, thought to be Timur's seven year old daughter, is buried there and a Yemeni sheik who, according to locals, saw the mausoleum in a dream and travelled to Katta Langar, where he died. The interior walls are unusually and beautifully patterned in brown, white and black. (Regrettably, photography is not permitted).

Columns and mosaics inside Katta Langar's Friday mosque

The surrounding cemetery is 80 hectares: most of the tombstones are written still in Arabic and the longevity of its inhabitants astonishing. A recently deceased woman was 106, and many villagers lived well into their nineties: testimony to hard work and holy practices.

The mosque was built in 1520 and restored in 1870. The plain exterior provides no hint of the dazzling mosaics and finely carved wooden columns and details.

Wandering around the mud brick village, little seems to have changed. Children ride donkeys, women prepare meals in the courtyards and the men tend domestic animals.

Interestingly, many village folk speak some French and the local French school teacher runs a basic guesthouse. I had a tasty lunch there sitting on a tapchan (a raised platform used in Central Asia for relaxing and reclining outdoors) and enjoying the warm, autumn afternoon.

Local transport in Katta Langar

My guide for the day was Lutfullo Asamov, whose family runs a simple B & B in  Shakhrisabz, about 45 kms from Kattar Langar. Lutfullo and his father are both mountain guides and know the area like the back of their hands. You can contact him on email lutfiy71@bk.ru if you would like him to arrange a trip out to this beautiful village.

Why not consider a rural home stay after your Uzbek Journeys tour?

Related post:
5 Reasons to Visit Sentyab, North East Uzbekistan