A rare piece of pre-Islamic era was stolen from the National Museum in Kabul during the civil war

A fragment of the statue. II century AD
National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul
Source: bbc.co.uk

Germany returned to the ancient pre-Islamic era statue in Afghanistan . Detail of the statue II century BC. e. featuring eight pieces was stolen during the civil war that began with the departure of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1989 and lasted 17 years. In these troubled times, almost all of the meeting of the National Museum in Kabul was looted. If the 1979 in the main museum of the country had about 100,000 exhibits, by the mid-1990s, survived only 30 percent from the previous collection. Some of the priceless works were on the black market, other items were deliberately destroyed - broken down or started up for firewood.

returned to Afghanistan sculpture reminds us of what was a rich cultural life of this region, located at the crossroads of major trade routes of Asia. Carved out of limestone figures of eight human faces turned to the left, where, according to scientists, The Buddha once sat on the throne of the ancient kingdom of Gandhara, who occupied part of the territory of present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Embassy of Afghanistan in Berlin, is now trying to figure out how the sculpture was in Munich for about a year ago and to whom it belonged.

Director, National Museum of Afghanistan, Omar Khan Masood (Omara Khan Massoudi) reported that a 2007 agreement by UNESCO and Interpol have already found 8000 artefacts, including a wooden statue of the Buddha of V century. Location of tens of thousands of Afghan subjects are still unknown, They pop up every now and then in Europe, America and even in Japan. Kabul Museum staff are hoping that sooner or later, the missing artifacts back to their homeland. In particular, this year's National Museum of the need to return 20 pieces of ivory, temporarily residing in the British Museum . In addition, last year Kabul Museum promised to return the valuable statue of the Buddha a private dealer .

Prepared by Mary Onuchina AI

Sources : bbc.co.uk , artinvestment.ru