SHAKUR (M.A.)
A Dash Through the Heart of Afghanistan Being Personal Narrative of an Archaeological Tour with the Indian Cultural Mission.
AN UNCOMMON PESHAWAR PRINTING
Long-time curator of the Peshawar Museum, Muhammad Abdul Shakur (1908-97), here published his account of a twenty-seven day journey through Afghanistan with the Indian Cultural Mission. He particularly “emphasized the importance of Afghan archaeology to understanding the Indian past and anticipated future Indo-Afghan archaeological collaborations” (Amstutz).
Revenue minister, Muhammad Abbas’ introduction states that while this is a technical work on archaeology in Afghanistan, it is also “a repository of marvels. It is packed with thrills. It is a treatise on history; it is a manual of geography; it is a compendium of administration. It is an account of sights and views and panorama of nature; it is a a tourist’s guide to Afghanistan; it is a book of travels …”
The maps are of Kunduz; Balkh (showing both ancient and modern areas); and a plan of Kandahar.
Amstutz, A., “From colonial Greece to postcolonial Rome? Re-orienting ancient Pakistan in museum guides in the 1950s and 1960s” in Stewart, P. & Wannaporn, R., eds The Rediscovery and Reception of Gandharan Art (Archeopress, 2022) p.144.
