Hey, check this out...
In March 2002, I visited the Buddha statues at Bamiyan, Afghanistan - where I came across what looked like an ancient bronze artifact. (photo attached)
I brought it back to Kabul looking for somewhere to donate the item, a small metal triangle with an eyelet on the back and the carving of what looked like a little monkey on the front. I eventually brought it to the Museum of Natural History in NYC, who would not accept it.
Finally, I found Paul Bucherer, a Swiss man who was collecting Afghanistan's cultural artifacts. I drove from Frankfurt to Basel and on to a little village in Switzerland called Bubendorff. I donated the tiny metal thing - see attached photo - to the museum.
Dr. Bucherer had the item cleaned and examined. His experts found that it was likely a seal or stamps that Buddhists monks wore around their neck - perhaps 1000 years ago. Pretty cool.
(I told him to keep the piece, what good would it do in a shoebox in my basement!)
Now, it is back in Kabul, where it belongs - and that's a good thing.
Read the story:
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2007/03/18/1423_afghan_artifacts_return_to_kabul/
In March 2002, I visited the Buddha statues at Bamiyan, Afghanistan - where I came across what looked like an ancient bronze artifact. (photo attached)
I brought it back to Kabul looking for somewhere to donate the item, a small metal triangle with an eyelet on the back and the carving of what looked like a little monkey on the front. I eventually brought it to the Museum of Natural History in NYC, who would not accept it.
Finally, I found Paul Bucherer, a Swiss man who was collecting Afghanistan's cultural artifacts. I drove from Frankfurt to Basel and on to a little village in Switzerland called Bubendorff. I donated the tiny metal thing - see attached photo - to the museum.
Dr. Bucherer had the item cleaned and examined. His experts found that it was likely a seal or stamps that Buddhists monks wore around their neck - perhaps 1000 years ago. Pretty cool.
(I told him to keep the piece, what good would it do in a shoebox in my basement!)
Now, it is back in Kabul, where it belongs - and that's a good thing.
Read the story:
