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I ·.·.·.·.· .·.·.·.·. ·-:·.:-:-:-:-:• .-:::::::::::: I ·.·.•.·.· . ::::::::: l •••••••••••••••••.••••.•.···························· ·::::::::::-::-:•:-:·.:-.. ·····.·.·.·I.. -:-::·:·:·:·.:... ·.· ··.·.·.··_:·_:·_::·:::::::::::::::::.:::::::::: I•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ·,·.· .... ·.. 1'$\;t,',~)Jg~~\" l ~./_) ~\ . j \..,..;.......~· '<J'. / . <?-.~, J \ ">c Jr~ A " r: Ur gen TRANSOXIAkA KHAWAR!ZM\ \ ~~' \ \._..../ "·- "'\ .· .·•. • ( KARA KUM DESERT llo1;\hara. s:markand • Tehran ~ Nishapur 1\lt " /0 K Ghutui~(•,:'~~~. · ·Xnbtils :,c;::·:._>" ) r · · · · B:e.cat·.. · .· .· · ~"''~47:, r KrNGDOM OF IL-KHANS ,,; J A PICTORIAL GUIDE TEXT Nancy Hatch Wolfe PHOTOGRAPHY Inger Hansen DRAWINGS Brigitte McCulloch The Afghan Tourist Organization Kabul : 1966 Copyright, Nancy Hatch Wolfr, 1966 Library of Congress Catalog Number - NE66-I I,[ Printed by Education Press Franklin Book Programs, Kabul CONTENTS Introduction vii Chronological Survey 1 Qala-i-lkhtiyaruddin, the Citadel ofHerat 8 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Walls of the Citadel 10 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Masjid-i-Jami' or Friday Mosque 12 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Courtyard of the Masjid-i-Jami' 14 (Photo: Inger Hansen) Timurid Decoration at the Masjid-i-Jami' 16 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Bronze Cauldron in the Masjid-i-Jami' 18 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Shrine of Ghiyasuddin-i-Ghori 20 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Ghorid Portal at the Masjid-i-Jami' 22 (Photo: Nancy H. Wolfe) The Mosaic Workshop at the Masjid-i-Jami' 24 (Photo: Inger Hansen) Ziyarat-i-Shahzada Abdulqasim 26 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Musalla Complex 28 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Mausoleum of Queen Gawhar-Shad 3() (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Exterior Decoration of the Mausoleum 32 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Interior Decoration of the Mausoleum 34 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Minaret at Queen Gawhar-Shad's Madrassa 36 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The M inarct at Queen Gawhar-Shad's Musalla 38 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The I\Iinarets of Sultan Husain-i-Baiqara 40 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Tomb of the Poet Jami 42 (Photo: Xancy H. Wolfe) Windmills of Herat 44 / (Photo: Hubbard Goodrich) Takht-i-Safar 46 (Photo: Willard Mason) Gazargah 48 (Pholo: Inger Hansen) The Entrance to the Shrine at Gazargah 50 (Photo: Inger Hansen) The Inner Courtyard at Gazargah 52 (Pholo: Inger Hansen) The Iwan at Gazargah 54 (Pholo: Inger Hansen) Tombstones at Gazargah 56 (Pholo: Inger Hansen) The Bridge called Pul-i-Malan 58 (Pholo: Inger Hansen) The Masjid-i-Chihil-Sutun at Ziyaratgah 60 (Pholo: Nancy H. Wolfe) The Covered Bazaars of Herat 62 (Pholo: Hubbard Goodrich) The Hauz-i-Chahar Suq or Co\'ered Reservoir 64 (Photo: Willard Mason) Ii Hcrat today - Chaikhana, teahouse 66 (Photo: Inger Hansen) Rug Bazaar 68 (Photo: Inger Hansen) Silk Weaving 69 (Photo: Inger Hansen) Rug Weaving 70 (Photo: Nancy H. 1-Vo!fe) Silversmith 71 (Photo: Inger Hansen) Selling Nan, the Afghan bread 72 (Photo: Inger Hansen) Dried Fruit Merchant 73 (Photo: Inger Hansen) Murad Khan, Chief of the Turkoman 74 (Photo: Nancy H. Wolfe) Uzbek 75 (Photo: Nancy H. Wolfe) Herati Villager 76 (Photo: Louis Dupree) Passing the Citadel 77 (Photo: Inger Hansen) Pigeon Tower 78 (Photo: Hubbard Goodrich) Zahir Shahi Cafe 79 (Photo: Hubbard Goodrich) 1 I l INTRODUCfION GUESTSto the opening of Monuments Week at the Kabul Museum in September 1964 found an exciting new exhibit of large photographs display­ ing the full range of Afghanistan's historical monuments. The excellence and clarity of t'he photography allowed for serious study of detail but it was the sensitivity of the compositions which was molit striking.These pictures impart­ ed the full romance .of the monuments and their individual settings. Inquir­ ing· about the photographer, I was introduced to a diminutive blond, Inger Hansen. Later, on considering a fitting form for a Guide to Herat, I felt that here the monuments deserved to have their story told in more than words. These monuments still speak of the days when Herat was the cultural centre of a powerful empire ruled by the Timurids, devoted patrons of art and poetry. The story would best be told through pictures. Art, poetry, photography­ Inger Hansen immediately came to mind. With her characteristic generosity she agreed to donate her talents. The results will bring lasting pleasure to all readers. The Hansens left Afghanistan before research revealed the need for addi­ tional pictures. It was my good fortune then to find Hubbard Goodrich of the Columbia Team in Herat and my further fortune to find him ready to add his efforts to this project. Negatives flooded into Kabul but as the manuscript went to press the pages facing text on the covered reservoir and the Takht-i­ Safar remained alarmingly empty. It was at this point that H.E. Klappert whose earlier attempts to photograph Herat had been thwarted by bad wea­ ther, introduced me to Mr. and Mrs. Willard Mason of the U.N. in India. To their kindness in devoting time from a one day visit to take these two pictures, I am most deeply indebted. It is with such varied cooperation that the photographs were finally assembled and it is a great pleasure to acknowledge the help of all these contributors. l As the pictures show, there is a rich profusion of decorative motif in Herat. I Again I felt that word descriptions of designs would make tedious reading; drawings would be clearer and an attactive addition. For this I turned to Brigitte McCulloch who had already given impressive proof of her talents on an earlier project. The difficult chore of isolating designs and the still more painstaking task of transfering them from photograph to paper, called for a great deal of effort and time for which I am most grateful. Adding immeasu­ rably to the appearance of the Guide, the drawings also enhance the visitor's vu I appreciation ofHerati artistry, both past and present. Again it is a pleasure to acknowledge the assistance of Peter Edmonds in his important role as cartographer. The fact that no acceptable map of the city ofHerat existed posed a real and perplexing problem until the Cartogra­ phic Institute kindly offered copies of their aerial photographs. This response was most gratifying and is much appreciated.The name of Robert MacMakin of Franklin Book Programs, Inc., will also be familiar to readers of these guide books. His contribution to the publication of this Guide is particularly significant since my husband and I left Kabul as the manuscript went to press on the completion ofmy husband's assignment with the American Embassy. To know that it is left in competent hands is most reassuring. To pose a question on Herat's history is to elicit mention of Mr. Fikri Seljuki, a distinguished member of a famous Herati family known for their leadership as diplomats, artists, historians, authors, and calligraphers. Mr. Seljuki, author of several Farsi works on Herat, was most generous in spending many afternoons going over the text to which he contributed many facts and numerous anecdotes not included in available western .research material· To have had the benefit of his scholarship was of great value; to have made a new friend, is of even greater meaning. These afternoons were shared by Mr. Abdul Wahab Tarzi, an old friend, whose continued support this time included the task of interpreting. Being an interested student of history himself, he added considerably to the stimula­ tion and enjoyment of these meetings. I hope the Guide evidences the spirit in which it was created. Nancy Balch Wolfe New York September 1965 I I i' Vlll CHRONOLOGICAL SURVEY (Numbers in bold face refer to text pages) t:..Jcr;c ua~~1 ilercc.fMlid~ 8·~'1id. 800s Assyrian Empire pushes Iranian tribes eastward; those called Hairava settle in oasis of Hera which s called Hairava in the Avesta and Artocoana by Greek writers .. 500s Achaeminid armies of Cyrus I and Darius I pass through Herat; Khorasan treated as a frontier province. 330 Alexander of Macedon captures Herat; builds new city (8). c.150 Parthians under Mithridates I annex Herat. 129 Scythian hordes from Chinese Turkestan move into Herat. 123 Parthians under Mithridates II reoccupy Herat; Khorasan prospers. A. D. c.60 The Kushans under Vima Kadphises capture Herat from the Par­ thians; Kushan Empire ruled from Kabul and Peshawar. 226 Sassanian Empire under Ardashir ext:nded to Herat but political influence tenuous; Herat reverts to frontier status. c.425 Ephthalites establish themselves north of the Hindu Kush with their capital a little to the north of modern Herat at Badhaghis, "the windy region"; frequent intervals of armed conflict alternating with short periods of peace with Persians. 565 Ephthalites overthrown by coalition of Sassanians and Western Turks; Ephthalite prince continues to govern He rat under eye of Turks. 630 Minor Turkish chiefs ruling petty principalities throughout the north; after 630 anarchy; brunt of resistance to Arab invasions born by Ephthalite prince of He rat. 1 652 Final destruction of Sassanian power by Arabs; Ephthalites of Herat submit; early Arab conquests little more than plundering raids. 667 Arab power more firmly established; 50,000 Arab families garri­ soned in Khorasan; forays into Ghor (20) • 673 Khorasan firmly secured by Arabs; used as base to conquer Cen­ tral Asia {26) • 700s Frequent revolts against harshness of Arab governors show inalter­ able hostility toward Arabs; provincial unrest coupled with waning power of Caliphate permitted rise of local dynasties. 800s 820 Tahirds of Khorassan establish practical independence from Caliphate; 867 Saffarids from Kandahar take Herat; 872 Saman­ anids of Transoxiana replace Saffarids in Khorasan; under Sama- · nids renaissance of national heritage, return of intellectual vitality. I c.900 Reputed building of Pul-i-Malan by Bibi Nur (58). ii1, Gbamavids l' i 994 Sebuktigin, founder of the Ghaznavid Dynasty, receives K.horasan t from the Samanids. 1000 Mahmud ofGhazni becomes master ofK.horasan, d.1030. l 1006 Birth of Khwaja 'Abdullah-i-Ansari in Herat; d.