Afghanistan: Forging Civilizations Along the Silk Road (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

During its early history, Afghanistan was a crossroads of commerce from diverse cultures along its bustling trade routes, known as the "Silk Road", which stretched from China to Egypt. This compelling volume examines objects from Afghanistan's antiquity - stone and terracotta architecture and sculpture, coins, ivories, and encrusted gold jewellery - as it leads us through the rich background of this fascinating country. Expert perspectives on archaeology, art history, and material culture can be found in ten essays, originally presented at a symposium at the Metropolitan Museum, of superb finds from Ai Khanum, Begram, and Tillya Tepe. Illustrated with over 100 reproductions, these essays explore such issues as the Hellenic presence in Bactria; relations between nomadic and sedentary populations; contacts with Rome, Iran, China, and India; and, the creation of unique Bactrian styles of expression.

Joan Aruz is curator in charge and Elisabetta Valtz Fino is curator in the Department of Near Eastern Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.