Glistening Treasures in the Dust – Ancient Artefacts of Afghanistan

Description

Editor’s note: Due to the temporary Government closure of cultural facilities, this exhibition is currently closed to the public. Please check their website for opening time.

Jointly hosted by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the National Museum of Afghanistan, Glistening Treasures in the Dust – Ancient Artefacts of Afghanistan is one of this year’s key exhibitions for the Hong Kong Museum of History.

Featuring 231 rare artefacts unearthed in Afghanistan, the exhibition attests to the important role played by ancient Afghanistan, as the cultural intersection of the Silk Road, in promoting the exchange and integration of world civilisations.

Highlights include a golden bowl with bearded-bull motif unearthed in Tepe Fullol, the decorative disk with cybele integrated with multicultural elements (image above), and a painted ivory plaque with a Jataka scene of the Buddha‘s previous life, among others.

The exhibition also demonstrates the influence of foreign ancient cultures such as Greek, Indian and Roman on Afghanistan and its surrounding regions from the Bronze Age to the first century AD, as well as a cultural diversity embracing the features of different steppe cultures.