GHAZNI AND ITS REGION

From Palaeolithic to Modern AgeMobility, Continuity and Cultural Exchange

Kabul, 15 September 2010

This presentation has been prepared for the exhibition

“Ghazni, Capital of Islamic Civilization: 3000 Years of

History” running at the National Museum of Afghanistan in

Kabul from 15 September 2010, in preparation of the 2013

Ghazni-event.

GHAZNI AND ITS REGION

In Ghazni itself, there is no proof of human presence

before the Iron Age. If we however consider the region

around it, things change radically.

In Dasht-i Nawar, about 55 km NW of Ghazni, the first

Lower Palaeolithic tools to be identified in Afghanistan

were found, dated maybe 100,000 years ago.

FROM PALAEOLITHIC TO MODERN AGE

DASHT-I NAWAR (see red circle)

Dashte-Nawar is an important archaeological site,

exhibiting intact stratigraphic sequences. Several

mounds representing early dwellings have been

discovered with accompanying artefacts, which suggest

occupation from Palaeolithic to Buddhist times.

(Shank and Rodenburg, 1977)

DASHT-I NAWAR

GHAZNI (via Google Earth)

Arachosians, living in the region that included modern

Ghazni, located at the eastern border of the Iranian

plateau, are known to have been visiting Persepolis –

the capital of the Achaemenids – at least from the time

of Darius I.

The reliefs on the eastern stairs of the great Audience

Hall (Apadana) are their first known portraits.

ARACHOSIA

ARACHOSIANS (Persepolis, Audience Hall – 6th century BCE)

ARIANS (Persepolis, Audience Hall – 6th century BCE)

PARTHIANS (Persepolis, Audience Hall – 6th century BCE)

Located on the main route connecting East and West,

the region of Ghazni was used to mobility and dialogue

between civilizations even before Alexander the Great

(Alexander III of Macedon) brought Greek-Macedonian

culture to that area.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY

ALEXANDER AND DARIUS III AT THE BATTLE

OF ISSUS, TURKEY - (Naples National Archaeological

Museum, from Pompeii)

“Under Greek rule Central Asia experienced such

unprecedented urban growth that its fame as the land of

a thousand cities spread to the West... Some of the new

towns were built ... with Greek ramparts superimposed

on those dating from earlier periods such as Alexandria

in Arachosia (Ghazni)”.

[Paul Bernard , 1996]

URBAN GROWTH

With the region of Ghazni coming into the influence of

the Mauryan dynasty (321-185 BCE), Buddhism and

Hinduism came into the area.

They were to stay well after the Sakas and Kushans

had come and gone, until the 7th century and the dawn

of Islam (61 H, 683 AD).

BUDDHISM AND HINDUISM

ASHOKA’S BILINGUAL BUDDHIST INSCRIPTION

(Greek and Aramaic) – KANDAHAR

GHAZNI – TEPE SARDAR (photo by A. Bruno, 1999)

Starting from 1957, Giuseppe Tucci’s IsMEO (named

IsIAO after 1995) has been active on archaeological

areas in Ghazni.

The mission’s present head, Anna Filigenzi, strongly

advocates both excavation and restoration projects, in

cooperation with other partners, among which DAFA

and the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul.

ISMEO AND ISIAO IN GHAZNI

BUDDHIST CULTURAL HERITAGE

HINDUIST CULTURAL HERITAGE

Ghazni’s layout shows a certain continuity through the

ages. Both the pre-Islamic and the Islamic urban focus

was built on a hill, located E of the river, and not far

away from it.

The old one was south, the new one north of the route

still leading from Kabul to Kandahar.

GHAZNI – CONTINUITY IN CHANGE

From 61 H. (683 AD) the region of Ghazni was a key

stronghold towards the Indian Subcontinent.

Al-Biruni writes: “no Muslim conqueror passed beyond

the frontier of Kabul… until the days of the Turks, when

they seized the power in Ghazna under the Samani

dynasty, and the supreme power fell to Sabuktagin”.

DAWN OF ISLAM

GHAZNI IN THE SAMANID EMPIRE

“… in the year 367 H. (989 AD) – writes Khondamir –

[Sabuktigin] took Bust ... Historians reckon the

sovereignty of the Ghaznivides as beginning with the

conquest of Bust, and they calculate that they flourished

for 188 years”.

Bost (now: Lashkari Bazar) became the winter capital

of the Ghaznevids.

THE GHAZNEVID DYNASTY

BOST – THE ARCH (11th century)

Sacked by the Ghurids in 529 H. (1151 AD), Ghazni

was hit again by Genghis Khan’s armies in 1221.

Ibn Battuta, who visited it about 110 years later, writes:

“...we left for Ghaznah, capital of the famous Mahmud,

the fighting Sultan who was a son of Sabuktigin… The

vast majority of [it] is destroyed and only a small part

still exists; it used nevertheless to be a noticeable city”.

WARS AND DESTRUCTION IN GHAZNI

Even in the 16th century, Ghazni – still of high strategic

value in the region – had not returned to the old

splendour, as we can read in Babur’s Memories.

Some of its most beautiful monuments however, still

survive – though some are severely damaged.

KING BABUR (16th century)

GHAZNI – MINARS (11th century)

Photo by Bluuurgh (July 2001) Photo by Robert Byron (1932-33)

GHAZNI – BALA HISSAR (photo Roberttsf, 2005)

GHAZNI – SULTAN MASSUD PALACE (Afghan Film,

detail)

GHAZNI – SULTAN ABDUL RAZAQ

MAUSOLEUM

(photo Josephine Powell, ca. 1960)

The Timurid Mausoleum of Sultan Abdul Razaq (15th

century) was restored by IsMEO in 1966 and has been

adapted to host a small museum.

Now still closed to visitors, it was “highly recommended

– to use Nancy Hatch Dupree’s words – to all visitors to

Ghazni”, for looking at animal ornamentation, under

influence of Central Asian and Sassanid art styles.

GHAZNI – THE MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART

GHAZNI – THE ISLAMIC LEGACY (1/3, ph. A.Califano

2010)

GHAZNI – THE ISLAMIC LEGACY (2/3, ph. A.Califano

2010)

GHAZNI – THE ISLAMIC LEGACY (3/3, ph. A.Califano

2010)

Always a strategic stronghold, sometimes a kingmaker,

located between the Persian plateau and the Indus river

valley at an elevation of 2200 metres above sea level,

Ghazni has witnessed civilizations and cultures coexist

and intermingle over a time span of 30 centuries.

It truly deserves its title of Capital of Islamic Civilization,

granted for the year 2013.

GHAZNI TOWARD 2013

Bernard, P. (1996). History of Civilizations of Central Asia, vol. II – The development of sedentary and nomadic civilizations: 700 B.C. to A.D. 250, UNESCO, Paris 1996 (2nd edition) – The Greek Kingdoms of Central Asia

Dani, A.H. and Masson, V.M. (ed.), History of civilizations of Central Asia – vol. I: The dawn of civilization: earliest times to 700 B.C.. UNESCO, Paris 1996 (2nd edition)

Elliot H.M. and Dowson J., The History of India as Told by Its Own Historians – The Muhammadan Period, vol. IV

Hatch Dupree, N., An Historical Guide to Afghanistan (revised and enlarged edition). Afghan Air Authority – Afghan Tourist Organization, Kabul 1977

Memoirs of Zehir-ed-din Muhammed Babur, Emperor of Hindustan, Written by Himself… by John Leyden, William Erskine and Sir Lucas King, Oxford 1921, vol. I

Sachau E. (ed.), Alberuni’s India, vol. I – Lahore, n.d. (reprint)

Shank, C.C. and Rodenburg, W.F. (1977). Management plan for Ab-i-Estada and Dashte-Nawar flamingo and waterfowl sanctuaries. UNDP/FAO/Department of Forests and Range, Kabul.

Taddei M. and Verardi G., Tapa Sardar: Second Preliminar Report - East and West 28, 1-4, 1978

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pictures used in this presentation have been mainly

taken from public domain repositories and other open

sources.

Where known, also dates and names of photographers

have been given.

© Alessandro Califano, 2010

CREDITS