Time.com reviews Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World, which is on exhibit until July 3 at the British Museum:
From as early as the first century B.C., the [Afghanistan] was known as a meeting place for artisans and traders, not warlords and insurgents.
That’s the implicit message of the British Museum’s latest blockbuster exhibition, Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World. Running until July 3, it brings together 230 objects that have survived bombings and lootings and deliberate destruction by the Taliban. “I hope this exhibition will introduce our ancient civilization to the British people, who usually hear stories of killing in Afghanistan,” says Omara Khan Masoodi, the director of Kabul’s National Museum, which has loaned all of the artifacts on display while it is being rebuilt following years of war. “Afghani people aren’t just fighting with each other. They love their culture, their art, and know the value of these things.”
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Most impressive … are the rows of golden implements unearthed in Tillya Tepe — the “Hill of Gold” — in the northern plains of Afghanistan. Found in the tombs of a nomad prince and five female relations, the treasure trove includes gold and turquoise leg bracelets shaped like snakes, clasps depicting Cupid riding a dolphin, a pendent of a Chinese man taming two dragons, and a collapsible crown consisting of four golden trees.Source: Lost and Found: Afghan Treasures Reunite at the British Museum – Time.com