TREASURES OF AFGHANISTAN

Ceinture en or, Afghanistan, Tillia Tepe, 1er siècle, musée national de Kaboul.© musée Guimet, Thierry Ollivier

Poignard orné d’une scène de combat d’animaux, Afghanistan, Tillia Tepe, or, fer, turquoise, 1er siècle, musée national de Kaboul..© musée Guimet, Thierry Ollivier

Fourreau orné d’une scène de combat d’animaux, Afghanistan, Tillia Tepe, or, turquoise, bois et cuir, 1er siècle, musée national de Kabou.© musée Guimet, Thierry Ollivier

Plaquettes, Afghanistan, Tillia Tepe, or, turquoise, cornaline, grenats, 1er siècle, musée national de Kaboul.© musée Guimet, Thierry Ollivier

Plaquettes, Afghanistan, Tillia Tepe, or, turquoise, cornaline, grenats, 1er siècle, musée national de Kaboul© musée Guimet, Thierry Ollivier

Plaquettes, Afghanistan, Tillia Tepe, or, turquoise, cornaline, grenats, 1er siècle, musée national de Kaboul.© Crédit : musée Guimet, Thierry Ollivier

Plaquettes, Afghanistan, Tillia Tepe, or, turquoise, cornaline, grenats, 1er siècle, musée national de Kaboul..© musée Guimet, Thierry Ollivier

Plaquettes, Afghanistan, Tillia Tepe, or, turquoise, cornaline, grenats, 1er siècle, musée national de Kaboul..© musée Guimet, Thierry Ollivier

Pendeloques dîtes du "souverain et des dragons", Afghanistan, Tillia Tepe, 1er siècle, or, turquoise, grenats, lapis-lazuli, musée national de Kaboul. © musée Guimet, Thierry Ollivier

The Twin Towers of Afghanistan’s rich heritage – the 2000 year old Buddhas of Bamian – were destroyed by the Taliban six years ago in March 2001, while the world looked on helplessly . But unseen and hidden from the rest of the world was a treasure trove of artefacts, some older than the Bamian Buddhas, discovered from four archaeological sites in Afghanistan, dating from the Iron Age, secure in a vault in the presidential palace in Kabul.