Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World

Ancient Afghanistan was the crossroads of civilization in Central Asia. Its archeological treasures date back more than four thousand years and bear the imprint of numerous cultures, attesting to Afghanistan's pivotal importance in the exchange of goods and ideas from Asia to the Mediterranean.

Nearly 230 artefacts from the rich mosaic of Afghanistan's cultural heritage are explored in this outstanding book. The extraordinary objects presented here range in date from 2200BC - AD 200 and are drawn from four different archeological sites. This lavish volume not only focuses on the cultural significance of the objects, but also relays the story of their discovery, excavation, and heroic rescue in modern-day Afghanistan.

Fredrick Hiebert is an archaeologist and explorer who has traced ancient trade routes overland and across the seas for more than 20 years. He is the author of The Origins of Oasis Civilization in Central Asia (1994) and A Central Asian Village at the Dawn of Civilization (2003) and co-author of Qal’at al-Bahain: A Trading and Military Outpost (2006). Pierre Cambon is the chief curator of the Heritage of the Afghan/Pakistan Section of the Guimet Museum of Asiatic Arts in Paris. He is the editor of two books on the ancient cultures of Afghanistan: Afghanistan: Une Histoire Millénaire (2002) and Afghanistan: Les Trésors Retrouvés (2007) based on exhibitions at the Guimet Museum.