Mes Aynak - A Crucial Archaeological Important Site Of Afghanistan

by Mes Aynak Mes Aynak - Culture Heritage Of Afghanistan

Afghanistan boasts one of the richest cultural heritages in the Asia and Mes Aynak has been doing a significant archaeological work on the Buddhist sites.

It is quite unfortunate that only a few excavation works are being carried out where a large number of historically important sites and archaeological places remain unprotected under threat.

The Archaeological site of Mes Aynak which is also a copper deposit by extension, is situated around 40km southeast of Kabul. It is northern Logar and Wardark province. The archaeological remains were first recorded by G. Fussman and M. Le Berre in 19963. A survey on the potential of natural resources of Afghanistan was first conducted in 1977. Having realized the significant mining potential of Afghanistan, the French Archaeological Delegation of Afghanistan further carried out the field Investigation in 1980 and after two years, The Mes Aynak site finally became a part of archaeological gazetteer of Afghanistan.

This country has had a long history. Almost 90 years has passed since King Amanullah signed a deal with France in 1922 for the European exclusive excavation. The condition of the deal was funds to be divided between them.

In 1952 fresh negotiation involved more international collaborations from countries like British, India, Japan, Italy, US and Soviet Union. From these projects crucial findings were uncovered -notably from Kushan site of Hadda,, Greek site of Ai Khanoum, the Bronze Age site of Modigak and Buddhist site of Bamiyan.

With this rapid momentum, Afghanistan’s National Institute Of Archeology was established in Kabul in 1966.

The time span between 1979-1989 was a crucial time for Afghanistan from point of view of Archaeology as the Afghan-Soviet Archaeological team uncovered the famous Bactrian Gold Hoad of Tillya Tepe (Golden Hill) in northern Afghanistan.

Now MesAynak has become of the most crucial Archaeological site and copper deposit of Afghanistan.

It seems like Mes Aynak was abandoned from the second half of the 8^th Century AD onwards.