Introduction to the Exhibition
Dragon Master Pendant, Tillya Tepe
Written by
Editing and layout by
Ann Butler
Program Coordinator
Melbourne Museum
Barbara Wels
Licensed to Queensland Museum 2013
Queensland Museum Bookings
3840 7127 (qtix schools hotline)
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Teachers may photocopy this kit
for educational purposes.
© All images supplied by National
Geographic
List of Contents
EDUCATION KIT
Introduction to the Exhibition
Teacher Notes
Introduction
1
Learning from Afghanistan
2
Pedagogical Framework
4
Curriculum Links
5
Key Aspects of the Exhibition
Tepe Fullol and the Bronze Age
13
Ai Khanum and the Greeks in Afghanistan
15
Begram and the Silk Road
19
Tillya Tepe and Nomadic Life in Afghanistan
22
The Legacy of Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage
24
Resources
25
Exhibition Map
28
Teacher Notes
Introduction
In 2013-14 Queensland Museum & Sciencentre is hosting Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures
from the National Museum, Kabul — an exhibition of precious artefacts from four important
archaeological sites in the region. This introduction to the exhibition highlights its relevance
to teachers and students from Year Seven to Year Twelve, and outlines resources available
to maximise its learning potential. The resources listed were developed by Melbourne
Museum and licensed by Queensland Museum for their own audiences.
The exhibition focuses on Afghanistan’s central position as a trading centre on the Silk
Road. Afghanistan occupies a crucial strategic position in Central Asia and has done so
since ancient times. It is placed centrally at the crossroads of the Silk Road trade route,
linking ancient Greece and Rome with the great civilisations of China and India. It is the
meeting place of settled life and nomadic culture.
This spectacular collection of artefacts tells an extraordinary story of courage and hope —it
was only quite recently rediscovered in a vault in the Presidential Palace in Kabul where it
had been hidden by museum staff to prevent its destruction by the Taliban. The exhibition
has now been travelling the world since 2004 and also represents hope, and a belief in a
peaceful future for Afghanistan. ‘A nation stays alive when its culture stays alive’ is the motto
of the National Museum in Kabul. Visit the museum website at
http://www.nationalmuseum.af/ to see how their cultural heritage is being preserved.
Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul explores the
interconnections between the different societies of the ancient world and the blending of
cultural influences. The artefacts on show are drawn from four archaeological sites, each
with its own fascinating history and story of discovery.
In Ai Khanum we meet the descendants of Alexander’s army who established a Greek city
and preserved Hellenistic culture for 300 years. Examples of Greek architecture and statuary
from the most northern outpost of the Greek Empire demonstrate the extent of the
Hellenisation of Central Asia.
In Begram we see inside Silk Road trade, admiring the variety of beautiful goods that were
sold along the route. Exquisite glassware, bronze, ivories and medallions with Roman
iconography are testimony to the cross-cultural impact of the Silk Road.
Cont.
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Teacher Notes
We are amazed at the intricate workmanship of gold nomad burial goods, exquisite in their
delicacy. The cross-cultural conversations of the time are reflected in the hybrid nature of the
art’s iconography. Most importantly, we are able to share with the Afghan government and
The National Museum in Kabul as they show the world a different face to their country – one
that is not marred by war and destruction.
Learning from Afghanistan
This exhibition is relevant to a number of curriculum areas.
Year 7 History
The geographical position and history of Afghanistan make it an ideal starting place for the
Overview Study of the Year 7 History Curriculum.
For one example of historical inquiry, Melbourne Museum suggests a coupling and
comparing with Ancient Mesopotamia. While a linear shift from nomadic life to settlement
was seen in Mesopotamia, evidence of both lifestyles can be found in Afghanistan. While the
various groups in Afghanistan remained pre-literate, Mesopotamia became a highly literate
society. Ways of discovering and sourcing about the two civilisations have therefore been
very different.
Mesopotamia resources available on the Melbourne Museum website:
http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/education/
Year 7-10 and VCE (aligned with Year 11) The Arts
A brief glance at a map of Central Asia reveals Afghanistan’s central position. It is rich in
minerals and precious stones. It was the sole source of lapis lazuli in ancient times. In the
first centuries AD it became an important hub in the trade along the Silk Road and therefore
a meeting place for many different cultural influences, most particularly in religion, as is
shown in the hybrid of styles evident in the architecture, statuary and jewellery. A detailed
examination of artworks demonstrating this hybrid style conforms to the Year 9, 10 and 11
Visual Arts Curriculum.
By beginning studies in Afghanistan, considering the huge impact of Alexander’s conquests
and the resulting Hellenistic civilisation established for many hundreds of years in Bactria, it
is possible to move east into investigations of China and India which were the source of so
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Teacher Notes
much that was traded along the route. Afghan artisans absorbed the styles of all of these
civilisations. All of these themes and influences are visible in the work displayed in the
exhibition, Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.
Year 9 Geography and Senior Secondary studies in Global Politics (across several
curriculum study topics including):

Modern History Year 12: Unit 4: The Modern World since 1945

Geography Year 12: Unit 4: Global transformations
Modern Afghanistan faces many dilemmas as it works towards a more peaceful and
prosperous future. The difficulties in keeping its cultural heritage alive raise questions around
the importance of history to cultural identity. The bravery and determination of many
Afghanis in protecting their cultural heritage is testimony to their view of its importance. The
exhibition is living proof of their determination. The problems faced by a third-world country
with rich natural resources raises questions about development and how it can best be
managed — questions that are central to both Year 9 and 12 Geography and to Year 12
Modern History.
Education Kits available online
Melbourne Museum developed a series of six Education Kits for this exhibition.
The first in the series (this kit) serves to introduce the exhibition as a starting point for
teachers.
All kits can be downloaded from the Queensland Museum Exhibition Microsite.
http://www.afghanistan.qm.qld.gov.au/Schools/Learning+Resources
The National Geographic website is another useful resource to tap into. It includes short
videos of each of the four archaeological sites featured in this exhibition. Go to
http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/mission/afghanistan-treasures/
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Teacher Notes
Pedagogical Framework
The pedagogical framework underpinning these resources addresses the Australian
Curriculum’s Critical and Creative thinking framework.
The model below is an adaptation of those organising elements of the learning continuum, to
assist with planning:
Inquiry learning encourages students to pose questions and to collaborate towards framing
and testing hypotheses in response to them. The following link describes three dimensions
of the “Thinking Processes Curriculum” (AusVELS).

reasoning, processing and inquiry

creativity

reflection, evaluation and metacognition.
Reference has also been made to developing skills and responsibilities as an individual
learner, encouraging students to monitor their progress. Teachers may like to suggest
students keep a Learning Log or Journal as they complete the tasks of the Units. This way
they are better able to identify correct conceptions and misconceptions, as an important step
in the learning process.
Guidelines to assist with group Inquiry Learning have been devised by Melbourne Museum:
http://museumvictoria.com.au/education/community-of-inquiry/
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Teacher Notes
Curriculum Links
Hidden Treasures and History (Year 7)
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
Classroom Resources
in Museum Education Kit
Overview
In-Depth Study
Understand broad patterns of historical
change.
All activities
An examination of the evidence for the
establishment of ancient societies: The
tension between nomadic and settled
life.
Overview of the Historical
Period
Activity 1
What makes Afghanistan the
Centre of the Ancient World?
Activity 2
Silk Road or Melting Pot?
An investigation of one of the key
features of ancient societies: Trade
along the Silk Road, including contact
with India and China.
Overview of the Historical
Period
Activity 1
What makes Afghanistan the
Centre of the Ancient World?
Activity 2
Silk Road or Melting Pot?
The methods and sources used to
investigate historical controversies that
have challenged historians.
In-Depth Study
Activity 3
Alexander the Great
Activity 4
Arrian and the Legends of
Alexander
Activity 5
Does Alexander deserve his
heroic reputation?
Contacts and conflicts with other
societies, resulting in developments
such as the conquest of other lands.
In-Depth Study
Activity 3
Alexander the Great
The role of significant individuals:
Alexander the Great as a Greek hero.
Contacts with other societies resulting
in the expansion of trade and the
spread of religious beliefs.
In-Depth Study
Activity 3
Alexander the Great
Activity 4
Arrian and the Legends of
Alexander
Activity 5
Does Alexander deserve his
heroic reputation?
Activity 2
Silk Road or Melting Pot?
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Teacher Notes
Hidden Treasures and History (Year 7) continued
Historical Skills
Classroom Resources
in Museum Education Kit
Chronology,
Terms and
Concepts
Historical
Questions and
Research
Sequence historical events,
developments and periods.
Overview of the Historical
Period
Use historical terms and concepts:
specialist vocabulary of archaeology,
concepts of nomadic and settled life,
culture and civilisation.
All activities
Identify a range of questions about the
past to inform historical inquiry.
Overview of the Historical
Period
In-Depth Study
Activity 3
Alexander the Great
Activity 4
Arrian and the Legends of
Alexander
Activity 5
Does Alexander deserve his
heroic reputation?
All activities
Identify and locate relevant sources
using ICT and other methods.
Identify the origin and purpose of
primary and secondary sources.
In-Depth Study
Activity 3
Alexander the Great
Activity 4
Arrian and the Legends of
Alexander
Activity 5
Does Alexander deserve his
heroic reputation?
Locate, compare, select and use
information from a range of sources as
evidence.
Inquiry tasks in all activities
Draw conclusions about the usefulness
of resources.
In-Depth Study
All activities
Perspectives and
Interpretations
Identify and describe points of view,
attitudes and values in primary and
secondary sources.
In-Depth Study
All activities
Explanation and
Communication
Develop texts, particularly descriptions
and explanations that use evidence
from a range of sources.
All activities
Use a range of communication forms
and digital technologies.
Final presentations in all
activities
Analysis and
Use of Sources
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Teacher Notes
Hidden Treasures and History (Year 7) continued
Thinking Processes
Classroom Resources
in Museum Education Kit
Reasoning,
processing and
inquiry
Students locate and select relevant
information.
Inquiry tasks in all activities
Students use a range of strategies of
reasoning and analysis to evaluate
evidence.
Creativity
Students explore possibilities and
generate multiple options.
Inquiry tasks in all activities
Reflection,
Evaluation and
Metacognition
Students use specific language to
describe their thinking and modify and
evaluate their thinking strategies.
Reflective Learning Journal
Students describe and explain
changes that may occur in their ideas
and beliefs over time.
Personal Learning
The Individual
Learner
Classroom Resources
Students monitor and describe their
progress as learners, identifying
strengths and weaknesses
Reflective Learning Journal
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Teacher Notes
Hidden Treasures and Geography (Year 9)
Classroom Resources
in Museum Education Kit
Learning Focus
Students investigate the characteristics
of development that occur across the
globe. Students examine global
patterns of development considering
classification by UN agencies and
NGOs, and evaluate the relevance of
such classifications at global, national,
regional and local scales.
Activity 3
Case Study: Mining
Students investigate and learn to
evaluate the impact and/or
effectiveness of development related
projects.
Geographic
knowledge and
understanding
Geospatial skills
Students explain the operation of a
major natural system and its interaction
with human activities. They evaluate
the consequences of the interaction
and develop a policy to address an
issue related to it.
Activity 1
Position, Position, Position
Students describe global patterns of
development from a range of
perspectives and identify and describe
the factors that determine these
patterns. They analyse development
issues and formulate and evaluate
comprehensive policies, including those
for sustainable use and management of
resources to alter development patterns
at a range of scales. They use evidence
based on their inquiries and
geographical language and concepts.
Activity 3
Case Study: Mining
Students accurately interpret
information on different types of maps
and photographs at a range of scales,
and use map evidence to support
explanations, draw inferences and
predict associated outcomes. They
collect and collate information gathered
from fieldwork observations and
present their findings observing
geographical presentation conventions.
Activity 1
Position, Position, Position
Activity 2
Terrain and Trade on the Silk
Road
Students record, represent and
interpret data in different types of maps,
graphs, tables, sketches, diagrams and
photographs.
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Teacher Notes
Hidden Treasures and Geography (Year 9) continued
Thinking Processes
Classroom Resources
in Museum Education Kit
Reasoning,
processing and
inquiry
Students locate and select relevant
information.
Activity 1
Position, Position, Position
Students use a range of strategies of
reasoning and analysis to evaluate
evidence.
Activity 2
Terrain and Trade on the Silk
Road
Activity 3
Case Study: Mining
Creativity
Students explore possibilities and
generate multiple options.
Activity 3
Case Study: Mining
Reflection,
Evaluation and
Metacognition
Students use specific language to
describe their thinking and modify and
evaluate their thinking strategies.
Reflective Learning Journal
Students describe and explain
changes that may occur in their ideas
and beliefs over time.
Personal Learning
The Individual
Learner
Students monitor and describe their
progress as learners, identifying
strengths and weaknesses.
Reflective Learning Journal
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Teacher Notes
Hidden Treasures and Global Politics
Unit 2: The Global Citizen
Classroom Resources
in Museum Education Kit
Area of Study
2:
Global
Co-operation
and Conflict
Students use key terms: international
community, security, national interest,
multilateralism and unilateralism.
Case Study: Can Afghanistan
protect its cultural heritage?
Task 1
Fill in the background
Students identify key actors, responses,
challenges and solutions.
Task 1
Fill in the background
Task 2
Understand the issues
Task 3
Look deeper
Task 4
Make a decision
Students examine and evaluate the
effectiveness of international responses.
Task 1
Fill in the background
Task 3
Look deeper
Students describe and explain the
effectiveness of international responses.
Task 1
Fill in the background
Task 3
Look deeper
Students access information, interpret
and draw conclusions.
All tasks
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Teacher Notes
Hidden Treasures and The Arts (Senior Secondary)
Classroom Resources
in Museum Education Kit
Study: Art
and Culture
Key knowledge
Students understand the role and
purpose of art in cultural contexts.
Task 3
Analyse the elements
Students understand how artworks
can reflect the beliefs, values and
traditions of different cultures.
Task 1
Similar or different?
Task 2
Talk it over
Task 3
Analyse the elements
Students are familiar with aspects of
the Formal Framework and the
Cultural Framework.
Task 3
Analyse the elements
Students are familiar with art
language for the expression of
discussion and research
.
Task 4
Frame a conclusion
Key Skills
Students apply the Formal
Framework and the Cultural
Framework to analyse and interpret
artworks from different cultures.
Task 3
Analyse the elements
Students compare and contrast
artworks from different cultures.
Task 1
Similar or different?
Task 2
Talk it over
Students substantiate personal
opinions with reference to artworks.
Task 4
Frame a conclusion
Students use appropriate art
language to discuss artworks.
All tasks
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Teacher Notes
Hidden Treasures and The Arts (Year 7-10)
Exploring and Responding
Classroom Resources
in Museum Education Kit
Students observe research and
critically discuss a range of
contemporary, traditional, stylistic,
historical and cultural examples of
artworks in the disciplines and
forms in which they are working.
Task 1
Similar or different?
Task 2
Talk it over
Task 3
Analyse the elements
Task 4
Frame a conclusion
Students analyse, interpret,
compare and evaluate the stylistic,
technical, expressive and aesthetic
features of artworks created by a
range of artists and made in
particular times and cultural
contexts.
Task 1
Similar or different?
Task 2
Talk it over
Task 3
Analyse the elements
Task 4
Frame a conclusion
Students describe and discuss
ways that their own and others’
artworks communicate and
challenge ideas and meaning.
Task 1
Similar or different?
Task 2
Talk it over
Task 3
Analyse the elements
Students use appropriate arts
language and, in the artworks they
are exploring and responding to,
refer to specific examples.
Task 1
Similar or different?
Task 2
Talk it over
Task 3
Analyse the elements
Task 4
Frame a conclusion
Students comment on the impact of
artworks, forms and practices on
other artworks and society in
general.
Task 1
Similar or different?
Task 2
Talk it over
Task 3
Analyse the elements
Task 4
Frame a conclusion
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
It’s All About Archaeology
The artefacts on show in Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul
are drawn from four archaeological sites — Tepe Fullol, Ai Khanum, Begram and Tillya
Tepe. Each has its own fascinating history and story of discovery. The following pages
provide background on each of these sites and how they reflect key themes in the history of
Afghanistan.
TIP
View short videos about Tepe Fullol, Ai Khanum, Begram and Tillya Tepe on The National
Geographic website at http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/mission/afghanistantreasures/.
Tepe Fullol and the Bronze Age
The Significance of Tepe Fullol
In 1966 farmers in the northern Afghan province of Badakshan reported a find of five gold
and twelve silver vessels. They had hacked the vessels into several pieces with an axe so
that they were able to divide their find between them. The pieces would probably have been
sold in the local bazaar. Rauf Wardak from the National Museum in Kabul excavated the
location of the find but no more objects were found.
Gold bowl, Tepe Fullol
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
The way in which these finds were reported has created some puzzles for archaeologists.
When objects are removed from their context, it is difficult for experts to date them
accurately. Instead they must rely on typological, iconographical and technical criteria for
assessment. Typological criteria enable the classification of objects into types to compare
features or determine the date. Iconographical criteria are about the study of artistic
representations. Technical criteria involve the graphical description of an object to
communicate information about its attributes.
In a report to a conference in 1997, Eric Olijdam analysed two of the vessels from Tepe
Fullol in detail. He chose two that featured iconography similar to that used in the Middle
Assyrian period. He concluded that the Tepe Fullol finds were probably an accumulation
from illegal excavations in the Fullol area. He used documentary evidence to support links
between the Assyrians and this Afghan region, particularly because of its proximity to
reserves of lapis lazuli.
The Bronze Age Connection
The objects from Tepe Fullol have given archaeologists and historians a better
understanding of the Bronze Age in Afghanistan. They represent a civilisation previously
unknown to scholars that must have had an impact on the major civilisations in the Indus
Valley and Mesopotamia. The area was home to farmers and settlers from 7,000 BC. It was
known to be rich in resources of tin and lapis lazuli but very little was known about the
people.
One scholar, K.R. Maxwell-Hyslop (1982), linked a number of finds to suggest an extensive
cultural region which included a large part of Afghanistan. Maxwell-Hyslop described a
network of settlements, walled cities containing a complex of buildings in a symmetrical plan.
Burial grounds were found on the periphery. This large cultural complex was previously
unknown and has been the topic of extensive debate among experts. There does not seem
to have been a writing system so we do not know what the inhabitants called themselves. It
was given various names but is most often called the Oxus Civilisation and extends east to
the Indus Valley.
Many of the precious objects found at Tepe Fullol may have been burial objects. These
objects show a blend of original characteristics with outside influences and raise questions
about contact between the Oxus, Indus and Iranian civilisations and also with Mesopotamia.
In fact, Mesopotamian tablets mention trade with the Indus civilisation from about 2,200 BC.
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
Ai Khanum and the Greeks in Afghanistan
Background on Alexander the Great
‘The story of Alexander has been told and retold, part history, part legend. Specialists have
devoted lifetimes of scholarship debating the ‘Romance of Alexander.’ Over eighty versions
in twenty-six languages exist. Folktales about Iskander (as most Middle Eastern groups call
Alexander) are still told in villages and camps of Afghanistan.’
Dupree, L., Afghanistan, Princeton University Press, USA, 1980
Macedonia was founded by Hellenic emigrants from Argos. The Macedonians are a
distinctive race, most closely associated with the Illyrians. Alexander was the son of the
Macedonian King, Phillip II. A turning point in Macedonian history came with Phillip who had
been a hostage in Thebes as a child and had learned Greek statesmanship and to speak the
language. He built a successful empire using the Macedonian armed forces, equipping them
so that they were superior to the Greek forces. At the Congress of Corinth in 327 BC, all the
Greek states except Sparta accepted Macedonian leadership. Philip was then free to turn his
attention to Persia but he was killed in a palace plot before he could do so. Alexander took
over from his father and was immediately decisive, validating the Congress of Corinth and
slaughtering his opposition.
In 331 BC Alexander proceeded to the heart of the Persian Empire having secured their
maritime possessions. The three capitals — Babylon, Susa and Persepolis — surrendered.
Alexander pursued Darius III, King of Persia until he achieved victory. He proceeded to
Babylon, Susa and Persepolis. The Macedonians were overwhelmed by the decadence and
opulence of these magnificent cities.
As
The extent of Alexander the Great’s Empire
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
Alexander progressed across Afghanistan he founded garrison towns — Alexandria in Areia
(thought to be near Herat), Alexandria in Arachosia (near Kandahar) and Alexandria in the
Caucasus (possibly Begram). Garrison towns were needed to sustain the army and as
places to drop off sick and wounded soldiers.
Alexander’s army encountered extraordinary conditions on its marches. The terrain they
covered is very harsh and as the men crossed the Hindu Kush, they suffered cold, fatigue,
snow blindness and frostbite. The army had to live off the land and there was little to sustain
them in such a brutal landscape. Finally, starving, they crossed into Bactria but there was no
food to be found. The men were forced to eat their pack animals raw because there was no
firewood. They seized Balkh, capital of Bactria.
Alexander then invaded India through the Khyber Pass. Rather than withdraw the way he
had come, he opted to go through new territory along the Arabian Sea, south of Afghanistan.
He lost three quarters of his army to heat and dehydration as they crossed the desert.
Alexander finally arrived back in Babylon where he died of a fever a few years later, at the
age of thirty-three.
The Significance of Ai Khanum
Ai Khanum is the site of the architectural remains of a Greek city in Afghanistan. Could it be
one of the cities founded by Alexander? How did Greek culture survive in this distant place?
The area where Ai Khanum is located had been part of the Persian Achaemenid Empire until
Alexander conquered the region between 334 and 323 BC. This involved a satrapy system
whereby each area was allowed to exist under its own leadership. Bactria, a large state in
northern Afghanistan was lead by Bessus, a Persian and perhaps a relative of Darius. He
fought against Alexander at Gaugamela. Some of these satrapies were lead by Greek
colonists allied to the Persian ruler. As the Graeco-Macedonian culture became established
as part of the Bactrian kingdom, Persian influences were supplanted by Greek cultural
influences.
After Alexander’s death, the Greek Empire was broken into three main parts. Seleucus, a
Macedonian leader, was given the area which included Bactria. Ai Khanum lies in eastern
Bactria which had assets such as an agricultural plain and the products — such as lapis
lazuli — of the Badakshan Mountains. The site was also important because it offered control
over trade routes and invasion paths and because some outcrops made it easy to fortify.
Archaeological evidence from the region demonstrates a long history of settlement and
centralised management. There is evidence of a commercial outpost of the Indus civilisation
and nearby, a fortified site from the region’s life as a Persian satrapy. Many of the towns in
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
Bactria may represent ‘Alexander foundations’ but these were usually garrison towns on the
site of pre-existing settlements that were well established. There is no trace of Alexandrian
occupation at Ai Khanum but it is supposed that it was a garrison of de-mobbed GraecoMacedonian colonists. Some of these people expected to eventually return to their homes
and rose in revolts which were then brutally suppressed. The Greek population of Ai
Khanum must certainly have been the product of extensive intermarriage but it wanted to
preserve its Greek identity. The Greeks were driven out of Ai Khanum by nomads in 145 BC.
The excavation site at Ai Khanum
In 1922 the French determined to find evidence of a Greek city. They dug one hundred test
pits in Balkh, finding only some pottery shards. In 1963 the lost city of Ai Khanum was found
by French archaeologists. It seemed to be a traditional Greek metropolis comprising a
theatre, gymnasium, hero shrines and a temple to Zeus. The remains of a palace, however,
and some smaller houses seemed to be of Persian derivation and had Greek details in their
Corinthian columns and pebble mosaics. Many coins with portraits in the Greek style were
found.
Archaeologist Paul Bernard (1982) describes Ai Khanum as completely enclosed by
ramparts with a city wall of solid brick, ten metres high and between six and eight metres
thick. The city was organised around a palace. The concept of the palace was alien to Greek
architects so they drew on Persian royal models.
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
Many of the objects found at Ai Khanum and on display in the exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden
Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul reveal a blend of Greek and Asian influences.
For example, a bowl handle features maenads with horns and pointed ears — a Hellenistic
style. Ivory chair legs indicate the proximity of India where ivory was plentiful. The
iconography on a gilded silver plate is a hybrid of Greek and Oriental styles.
The gymnasium at Ai Khanum was 100 metres square and inscriptions place it under the
protection of Hermes and Heracles.
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
Begram and the Silk Road
Background to the Silk Road
The term ‘Silk Road’ refers to a collection of trade routes that crossed Central Asia linking
China to India and Afghanistan in the east to the Greek and Roman settlements and Egypt in
the west. Its name derives from the popularity of silk as a commodity in the Roman Empire
— China was the only source of silk at that time. The trade was not only in silk but in many
exotic and luxurious goods. The geographical position of Afghanistan placed it at the centre
of these trade routes. Afghanistan had for a long time traded in lapis lazuli and tin, and was
the sole source of lapis lazuli for the ancient Mesopotamians.
The trade routes of the Silk Road crossed extremely inhospitable areas. There is little
vegetation in the Taklimakan Desert, which has frequent sandstorms and almost no rainfall.
Temperatures exceed fifty degrees Celcius in the summer and can be as low as minus
twenty Celcius in the winter. For these reasons, trading caravans tended to skirt around the
edges of the desert. The land surrounding the Taklimakan Desert is also hostile. The
Himalayas are only passable through icy passages 5,000 metres in altitude and are
surrounded by deep ravines.
Traders would not have passed along the whole of the Silk Road from beginning to end —
they stopped at certain trading centres to exchange goods before continuing on their way.
They were often plundered by bandits. Defensive walls were built at the oases or stops
along the way. Caravanserais were erected to protect the traders and their goods.
Goods were passed between the trading centres where caravans distributed them more
widely. In this way gold, ivory, precious stones and glass found their way to China. In turn,
ceramics, bronze, jade and lacquer ware came from China to the west and to India.
Middlemen took their profit along the way. However, it was not only goods that passed along
these trade routes and the result was a rich cross-pollination of artistic styles and other
influences. Religion was also spread along the path. Buddhism was introduced to China
from India and Buddhist grottoes were built along the route.
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
The Significance of Begram
The ancient city of Begram sits forty miles from Kabul in northern Afghanistan at the
confluence of two rivers. The region around Kabul and Begram was one of the most highly
cultivated in the country. The rivers received a large measure of water from snowmelt and
systems of irrigation were constructed so it was a comparatively lush area.
Painted glass beaker, Begram
Begram is one of the most important archaeological sites in Afghanistan however some
controversy exists among archaeologists as to the city’s real purpose. The French
archaeologist who first discovered the site in the 1920s argued that it was the site of the
ancient Kushan capital, Kapisi. Later, archaeologists argued that it was the site of Alexander
the Great’s Alexandria ad Caucasum.
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
In 1937 and 1938 another French archaeologist, Joseph Hackin, discovered two sealed
rooms at the site. These rooms were said to contain a royal treasure because the thesis that
Begram was a royal city had been accepted. The rooms were filled with exotic objects which
came from many other areas of Central Asia. Carved ivories and bone were identified as
Indian in origin and design. Beautiful glassware was traced to Egyptian manufacture. Plaster
casts had Roman and Greek mythology depicted on them. There were several bronze
objects. Lacquer ware from China had deteriorated in the humid conditions.
Many of the objects were made from rare, exotic materials and were therefore valuable,
which supported the theory of royal treasure. Sanjyot Mehendale (1996) has argued,
however, that Begram was a commercial city which existed as part of the Silk Road trade
route. Her very careful examination and analysis of the objects supports the idea that
Begram was a commercial centre and that these rooms formed a warehouse of goods for
trade. She also looks at the possibility that Begram was a centre for the production of objects
with artisans from different areas and training working together in guilds.
The objects from the sealed rooms at Begram, dated to the first century AD, have an intrinsic
value but they are also interesting as evidence of the cross-pollination of ideas, cultures and
religions created through trade on the Silk Road.
Mask of Silenus, Begram
Introduction to the Exhibition Teacher Kit – www.afghanistan.qm.qld.gov.au
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
Tillya Tepe and Nomadic Life in Afghanistan
Background on Nomads
Two distinct ways of living—nomadic and sedentary—were practised side by side over the
centuries in eastern and western Asia. The area was populated by wave after wave of Turkic
and Mongol descendants. Their mobility was enhanced by the domestication of the horse.
They earned a living from herding sheep, goats and cattle. They traded with the settled
peoples for agricultural goods —these relationships were sometimes troubled by raiding or
conquests.
Nomadic peoples lived in felt-covered tents (sometimes called yurts) which were often
decorated by ornate rugs. The designs of textiles and elaborate embroidery patterns were
handed down from mother to daughter. The nomads who overran Bactria in 145 BC, ending
the Graeco-Bactrian state, eventually created the Kushan Empire.
Nomad crown, Tillya Tepe
Introduction to the Exhibition Teacher Kit – www.afghanistan.qm.qld.gov.au
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
The Significance of Tillya Tepe
The treasures of Tillya Tepe were discovered by a Russian archaeologist, Victor Sarianidi, in
1978. He uncovered over 21,000 gold artefacts — many more than were found in the tomb
of Tutankhamen in Egypt — in the graves of six nomads who lived between 100 BC and 100
AD. The graves were discovered in a mound at the top of the remains of a Bronze Age
temple dating from about 1300 BC.
Sarianidi had been searching for evidence of Bronze Age life when he began work on the
mound. A mound is the hill created as many layers of building and settlement accumulate
over long periods of time. Archaeologists dig down into the mounds to uncover and date the
layers of settlement. This mound was found to date back 4,000 years to the first agricultural
settlers who built a small temple. Over the next 1,000 years it was rebuilt several times. It
was left to crumble for 600 years when a small village used the site. After this it crumbled
again for another 400 years until the nomads used the site for burials. The burial discovered
is typical of the nomadic tradition — the bodies are laid within a mound and then the
trenches are covered with timber planking.
Not much is known of the period between the Graeco-Bactrian settlements and the Kushan
Empire because Roman historians — our main source of information on this area — didn’t
visit during this time. In a sense, the Tillya Tepe finds are the missing link in the history of
this area. They also provide us with an amendment to the common picture that began
perhaps with Herodotus, of nomads being associated with endless acts of destruction,
leaving nothing behind.
Introduction to the Exhibition Teacher Kit – www.afghanistan.qm.qld.gov.au
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Key Aspects of the Exhibition
The Legacy of Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage
Regarding the exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul,
Omara Khan Massoudi, Director of the National Museum in Kabul, has said that ‘the history
of Afghanistan is one of receiving the art of others, and then turning them into our own way
of expression’. The objects in The Bactrian Hoard reflect what Massoudi is talking about.
They demonstrate a blend of very many styles — the nomads’ own depictions of real and
fantastic animals together with more Hellenised styles. It is an eclectic mix of influences
encountered on the Silk Road. Motifs from Indian and Persian art sit side-by-side with
images drawn from Chinese and Greek mythology. It is thought that the objects were made
locally as the turquoise and other precious stones, along with the gold, could be accessed in
the area.
Unfortunately Sarianidi’s work was brought to a halt by the Soviet invasion in 1979. After the
withdrawal, civil war broke out in Afghanistan. In 1989 the National Museum was pillaged
and precious cultural heritage objects ended up on the black market. In 1994 the museum
sustained considerable damage from shelling. In 2001, the Taliban destroyed 2,000 museum
objects considered idolatrous and around that time some brave curators hid certain artefacts
to try and preserve them. Rediscovered in 2003 when the Taliban seemed to have been
defeated, this collection is travelling the world with the exhibition until its homeland is more
stable and safe.
‘The biggest thing that’s broken in Afghanistan isn’t the buildings or the roads... It’s the
broken psychology, 25 years of war is hell. Not only were tons of artefacts stolen, so was the
Afghan’s history, their heritage. Afghan children no longer know Afghan folk songs. How can
they get their pride back?’
Fredrik Hiebert, Curator, National Geographic
Catalogue for Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul
‘The hope is that this exhibition will help people to see beyond the recent history of
intolerance and isolation to the open, cosmopolitan spirit that long characterised this creative
melting pot and hub of the Silk Road.’
Omara Khan Massoudi, Director of the National Museum in Kabul
Catalogue for Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.
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Resources
Key Sources
National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul
Museum website including information about collections, exhibitions, images and a map
showing archaeological sites
http://www.nationalmuseum.af/
National Geographic
Information about Afghanistan, the exhibition and its themes, including maps and a fantastic
range of videos and other resources
Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul
http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/mission/Afghanistan-treasures/
Melbourne Museum
Museum website with information about exhibitions, education programs and online
resources for teachers and students including:
Guidelines on Conducting a Community of Inquiry
The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia
http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/discoverycentre/afghanistan/
http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/education/
Books
Bernard, P., ‘An Ancient Greek City in Central Asia’, Scientific American, vol. 246, no.1, 148159, 1982
Dupree, L., Afghanistan, Oxford University Press, 1997
Dupree, N., ‘Museum under Siege’, Archaeology, April, 1998
Errington, E., and Gibb, J., ed. The Crossroads of Asia, Ancient Iran and India Trust, 1992
Evans, M., Afghanistan: A New History, Routledge Curzon, London, 2001
Harmatta, J,. ed., History of Civilisations of Central Asia, Volume II, UNESCO, 1992
Hiebert, F., and Cambon, P., (editors) Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National
Museum of Kabul, Exhibition Catalogue, collective publication by National Geographic,
Museum Victoria, Queensland Museum, Art Gallery of NSW and Western Australian
Museum
Mairs, R., ‘Glassware from Roman Egypt at Begram and the Red Sea Trade’, British
Museum Studies, 2012
Mehendale, S., ‘Begram: along Ancient Central Asia and Indian Trade Centre’, Cahiers
d’Asie Centrale, 1996
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Resources
Oldijdam, E., ‘Tepe Fullol’, South Asian Archaeology, Vol 1, 1997
Rasanayagam, A., Afghanistan: A Modern History, I.B. Tauris, 2005
Rowland, B., Ancient Art from Afghanistan: treasures of the Kabul Museum, Penguin Press,
1971
Sarianidi, V.I., ‘The Treasure of the Golden Hill’, American Journal of Archaeology, Vol.84,
No.2, April 1980
Sarianidi, V.I. ‘The Golden Hoard of Bactria’, National Geographic, March 1990
Tanner, S., Afghanistan: A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the
Taliban, Da Capo Press, 2009
Vogelsang, W., The Afghanis, Wiley-Blackwell, 2002
Websites
Academia.edu — Greek influences at Ai Khanum by Rachel Mairs
http://brown.academia.edu/RachelMairs/Papers/1545867/_The_Founder_Shrine_and_the_F
oundation_of_Ai_Khanum_
British Museum — blog with videos of glassmaking to produce glass fish found at Begram
http://blog.britishmuseum.org/category/exhibitions/Afghanistan-crossroads-of-the-ancientworld/
China Institute — comprehensive information about the Silk Road
http://www.chinainstitute.cieducationportal.org/cimain/wpcontent/themes/chinainstitute/pdfs/education/fromsilktooil_pdf3.pdf
ECAI (Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative) —information about Begram
http://www.ecai.org/begramweb/docs/BegramChapter5_3.htm
George Rawlinson — introduction to the history of Macedonia
http://www.ancientmacedonia.com/Rawlinson.html
National Geographic —interactive map with information about artefacts and themes
Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/mission/Afghanistan-treasures/
Powerhouse Museum — information about the nomads of Central Asia
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/previous/beyond_silk.php
University of California E-books Collection — Hellenism at Ai Khanum by Martin Robertson
http://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft0000035f&chunk.id=ch3&toc.depth=
1&toc.id=ch3&brand=ucpress
University of Texas — map of the Greek Empire
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/fallofgreece/alexander_ai_Khanum.jpg
University of Texas — photo of Ai Khanum before excavation
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/fallofgreece/aikhanum.jpg
University of Texas — photo of the Theatre at Ai Khanum
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/fallofgreece/aikhanumtheater.jpg
University of Texas — photo of Corinthian capitals at Ai Khanum
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Resources
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/fallofgreece/aikhanumcorincaps.jpg
University of Texas —photo of the Colonnade at Ai Khanum
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/fallofgreece/aikhanumcorinthcol.jpg
University of Texas — photo of the Gymnasium at Ai Khanum
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/fallofgreece/aikhanumgymswing.jpg
YouTube Ai Khanum flyover
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=5tka9TFyWIw
YouTube Documentary: In the Footsteps of Alexander — Part 1
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=CrTS4O25Jow&feature=related
YouTube Documentary: In the Footsteps of Alexander — Part 2
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=BYR3AEWUVyc&feature=relmfu
YouTube Documentary: In the Footsteps of Alexander — Part 3
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=nAAW0BRl21M&feature=relmfu
YouTube Documentary: In the Footsteps of Alexander — Part 4
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=g5HzkRO8TGA&feature=relmfu
YouTube 3D reconstruction of Ai Khanum
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=5tka9TFyWIw
YouTube video about Alexander’s battles
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=5uHe5qFJCmk&feature=relmfu
YouTube video showing some landscape and many of the products and crafts found on the
Silk Road —(one hour)
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=TAhaIX2dM_Y&feature=related
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Exhibition Map
Welcome to Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures
from the National Museum, Kabul.
For assistance and directions during your
Museum visit, ask our
Visitor Services Staff (black t-shirt)
or
Volunteers (purple t-shirt).

Schools and Groups
entrance/bag store: Level 0

Collectors Café: Level 2

M & F Toilets:
Level 4, Level 2, Level 0.

Accessible Toilets: Level 2, Level 0

Please note, there are no toilets located
within this exhibition.
Please recognise that some items are not permitted
within this exhibition. This and other helpful
information for Planning Your Visit available online for
Schools and Groups.
Introduction to the Exhibition Teacher Kit – www.afghanistan.qm.qld.gov.au
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