Asia | Nights at the museum

The Taliban embrace cultural heritage

Afghanistan’s rulers no longer want to smash up the country’s pre-Islamic riches

Visitors look at the exhibits at the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul after it reopened under Taliban control — Pondering the idolatrous pastImage: Getty Images

Jul 11th 2023|KABUL

When the Taliban barrelled into Kabul in August 2021, the curators of Afghanistan’s national museum stashed away its pre-Islamic treasures. During the Islamists’ previous spell in power, the Taliban minister of finance led an axe-wielding wrecking crew to smash up thousands of the pre-Islamic artefacts bequeathed by Afghanistan’s staggeringly rich history. Determined to prevent a repeat performance, museum employees camped for nights on end in the battered 1920s Kabul villa that houses its collections.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Nights at the museum”