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Spach: Ten Years Preserving Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage

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Spach: Ten Years Preserving Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage gth International Seminar of Kushan studies Kabul, January 2004 International Centre for Kushan Studies Academy of Sciences of Afghanistan SPACH: TEN YEARS PRESERVING AFGHANISTAN'S CULTURAL HERITAGE Good afternoon Ladies, Gentlemen, Professors, Researchers and Afghan Professionals: It's a great honor for me to participate in this Seminar among so distinguished scholars in the field of Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage. At the request of Mr. Azizi, not only Director of the International Centre of Kushan Studies but an eminent and productive Afghan Researcher, I will give a report on SPACH activities but before this I would like to take this opportunity to express my great admiration and gratitude to all of you, Afghan Researchers and Afghan Professionals who under very difficult circumstances have played the central role of preserving the cultural heritage of this country so important for the History of the Humankind. So let me begin with A Short History of SPACH SPACH was established in 1994 in Islamabad, Pakistan, by a group of concerned individuals, in response to the increasing vulnerability of the cultural heritage of Afghanistan. Indeed, from the beginning of the war, and particularly since 1992, Afghan culture has been threatened by fighting, looting and neglect. Initially SPACH concentrated on advocacy, both in the international media and within Afghanistan, and was specifically concerned with the looting of the Kabul Museum collection; but little by little its activities extended to support of Afghan professional conservationists, surveying the condition of monuments and sites, and emergency protection work on them where it was deemed most urgent. [Fig 2: Mr. Sotirios Mousouris, founding member of SPACH with Mr. Najib Popa in the visit to the National Museum that participated in the creation of SPA CH in 1994 after the National Museum looting. Photo: C. Belleau] The last year of Taliban rule was particularly painful for Afghan cultural heritage, which became an issue for the international community. [Fig 3: Small Buddha, Bamiyan, 2003. Photo: Rodriguez/SPACH] SPACH, while receiving an unprecedented amount of attention and support, had to stop practically all its activities within Afghanistan. [Fig 4: Restoration room showing objects broken by the Taliban, 2003 Photo: Rodriguez/SPACH] With the fall of the Taliban, however, it again became possible to work in Afghanistan. And necessary: currently the looting of sites has increased. On the other hand, if it does not become an integral part of the reconstruction effort, cultural preservation might suffer from it. Also, the next generation of Afghans must become aware of the central importance of their culture: this will even enhance the prospects for peace. [Fig 5: Remains of Kanishka sculpture, broken by the Taliban before its restoration in 2003 Photo: Rodriguez/SPACH] \ SPACH therefore decided to reopen its headquarters in Kabul. Let me start with one of our most important activities, that is The support to the National Museum of Afghanistan: -It was from 1994 to 2000 that Mrs. Carla Grissmann working for SPACH assisted the Museum staff in inventorying the collection and providing protection for what remained.[Fig 6: Carla Grissman, Founding member of SPACH observing looted objects salvaged and returned to the museum by SPACH in 1996. Photo: J. Les/ie/SPACHJ In those difficult times the presence of foreign experts and UN was restricted because of security concerns. [Fig 7: Burnt registration card of the Kabul Museum Inventory, 1993] -Between 1994 and 1996 a total of 48 objects looted from the Kabul Museum were returned to the Ministry of Information and Culture, [Fig 8: Mr. Massoudi and Mr. Popa/ transferring the collection from Kabul Museum to Kabul Hotel with the assistance of SPACH, 1996] despite the massive scale of the losses from the Museum collection, this was a significant achievement. [Fig 9: Museum staff transferring the collection from Kabul Museum to Kabul Hotel with the assistance of SPACH, 1996]&[Fig 10: Box containing the Rabatak Inscription in the Mines Department of Pul-e-Khumri before its transfer to the Kabul Museum by its staff and SPACH Photo: Kluyver/SPACHJ& ]&[Fig 11: Handing over of the Tang­ e-Safedak Inscription to the Ministry of Information and Culture] -More recently during this year 2003 SPACH has been able to encourage donors to support the reconstruction of the old museum building and purchase equipment for the Museum staff. [Fig 12: Restoration of the Kabul Museum roof, organized by SPACH with the financial assistance of the Government of Italy through the Italy/UNESCO Trust fund, 2004 Photo: Rodriguez/SPACHJ Among these donors are: Hellenic Aid, the Italy/ UNESCO Trust Fund, the Foreign Commonwealth Office and the National Geographic Society. We hope that it will be finished in the coming weeks, under the supervision of the Engineers of the Historical Monuments Department and PAMA. [Fig 13: Restoration of the Kabul Museum roof, organized by SPACH with the financial assistance of the Government of Italy through the Italy/UNESCO Trust fund, 2004 Photo: Rodriguez/SPACHJ - In order to allow Museum staff to make the most of the training given by foreign experts, SPACH started English and Computer courses in the premises of the National Museum thanks to a donation from the Australian writer Mr. Christopher Kremmer. - I would like to take this opportunity to praise the Museum staff for its extraordinary dedication and hard work in the very difficult circumstances of the past twelve years and the enthusiasm with which they are facing this period of challenges and new opportunities for training and increasing their skills. [Fig 14: Museum staff working in the restoration department, 2003] Another important task for SPACH has been to carry out surveys and photographic records of monuments and archaeological sites throughout the country. Since its creation in 1994 SPACH tried to keep aware of the status of Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage. During the year 2003 SPACH has witnessed that the looting is going on in every province. In the first half of the year [Fig 15: Dr. Rahe en, Minister of Information and Culture and its staff visiting Char Chatta Bazaar, Kabul 2002] SPACH has accompanied Dr. Raheen and professionals from the Institute of Archaeology, the Historical Monuments Department to many sites where raising awareness about the importance of Afghan Cultural Heritage was needed. Especially sad was the news of damage of the Shrine of Abu Nasr Parsa, [Fig 16: Abu Nasr Parsa Shrine hit by a rocket, 2003] one of the architectural masterpieces of Afghanistan that occurred during factional fighting in Balkh in October this year. [Fig 17: Detail of Abu Nasr Parsa Shrine destroyed by a rocket, 2003] Or the damage in the delicate ornamentation of the Masjid-e Noh Gumbad, of the most ancient mosque of this rich country that was made by children throwing stones ... [Fig 18: Masjid-e-Noh Gumbad surveyed by SPACH and Ministry of Information and Culture officials] Or the looting of Kafir Kot, in Kharwar ... Other important sites for the understanding of the Kushan period were surveyed as Surkh Kotal [Fig 19: Surkh Kotal Surveyed by SPACH, 2003] or Rabatak, this late showing signs of recent looting yet again. [Fig 20: Surkh Kotal, Detail of the alter]& [Fig 21: Rabatak Site, surveyed by SPACH, 2003] & [Fig 22: Rabatak Site, surveyed by SPACH, 2003] & [Fig 23: Rabatak Site, surveyed by SPACH, 2003] In order to facilitate the study of these monuments and sites SPACH has compiled more than 4000 photographs taken by members and altruists friends about Afghan monuments, archaeological sites and artifacts. These pictures are part of a PHOTOCA TALOGUE which is an important step towards a National Inventory of Monuments and Sites. One of our projects for next year is to make it available to Afghan and foreign scholars or interested persons in a CD Rom format. SPACH is glad to see that important agencies as UNESCO, Aga Khan Trust for Culture or DAFA have arrived at Afghanistan. They have more financial and human resources to carry out Restoration works of Historical Monuments of Afghanistan. But in the past it was even the Afghan authorities and Afghan Professionals who requested assistance from SPACH in order to carry out EMERGENCY PRESERVATION WORKS on monuments and sites, as we were the only foreign agency working in this field. These works were really necessary and we are glad to receive the recognition for the valuable work done in this regard during the ICC meeting in Paris in summer this year. I will resume the interventions carried out: Masjid-Nuh Gumbad, Balkh (also known as Mosque ofHaji Piyada) [Fig: 24: Metal Cover in Masjid-e-Noh Gombad replaced by SPACH in 2000 with the supervision of Ministry of Information and Culture officials in Mazzar-e-Sharrif, Photo 2003: Mr Sharif Mohammadi from Ministry of Information and Culture in Mazar-e-Sharrif inspecting the site] The most ancient mosque in Central Asia was protected against the elements. Its metal covering was replaced by SPACH in 2000 under the supervision of Engineer Sharif Mohammadi of the Mazar-i-Sharif Monuments Department. Minaret of Jam, Ghor The minaret is leaning ominously. In the year 2000, a protective retaining wall was constructed along the Jam River by SPACH, under the technical advice of Prof. Bruno. [Fig 25: Plan to protect Minaret of Jam, made by the Italian restorer, Dr. Andrea Bruno, SPACH 1999] A similar wall was constructed in 1999 along the Harirud River side of the Minaret to save it from the erosion of the rivers. [Fig 26: Vertical ... made by Dr. Andrea Bruno in the 1990s After this, a gabion wall was reconstructed by SPACH] Musallah Complex, Heart [Fig 27: View after the works carried out by SPACH, HAFO and AREA, Photo: 2002] This has been one of the biggest projects that SPACH ever executed since its establishment, quite a number of restoration works were completed early in the year 2001.
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