Abstract
The exhibition in the National Museum in Prague presents an illustrative selection of objects from Mes Aynak, supplemented by individual finds from other archaeological sites of central and northern Afghanistan. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the art and material culture, as well as into the religious beliefs, of the inhabitants of eastern Afghanistan in the Late Antique an Early Medieval period (1st-9th c.
AD). It is a result of fruitful cooperation between two National Museums: that of the Czech Republic and of Afghanistan, based in Kabul.
From the very beginning of the preparation it was decided that the exhibition must be accompanied by a proper catalogue written by a team of scientific collaborators. The humble result of their efforts you now hold in your hands.
This volume starts with a short excursion into Afghanistan, by introducing the course of the different phases of its history, its ancient civilizations, important trade routes and relations that have significantly affected the development of this region. It presents a unique collection of items borrowed from the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul that is exhibited at the National Museum in Prague under the title "Afghanistan - Rescued Treasures of Buddhism".
It specifically comprises a selection of the wealth of the decoration of Buddhist monuments dating from the period of the 1st to the 9th centuries AD, which was mainly furnished by archaeological research in the Mes Aynak site. Even though the link between Buddhism and the territory of Afghanistan may seem a bit unusual, its influence on the formation of the local culture was immense.