Peshawar, Kabul, Bamian, Herat, Meshed

1943 film of Peshawar, Kabul, Bamiyan, Herat and Mashhad; documenting a journey through the North West Frontier territories by British diplomat Clarmont Skrine during WWII.

This colour, silent 16mm film shows various commercial activities on the streets of Peshawar, Kabul and other towns, highlighting the importance of trade to the people living and travelling through the North West Frontier and Khyber Pass. Architecture and archaeological sites along this important trading route are also well documented, providing a snapshot of many locations since affected by war.

Made by Sir Clarmont Skrine, a British diplomat active in the 1940s this is an important record of sites of archaeological interest that have since been damaged or lost. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were 4th and 5th century monumental statues of the Buddha, carved directly from the cliff side of the Bamiyan valley. In March 2001 they were destroyed by the Taliban. Sights also include the Musalla complex and minarets at Herat which were commissioned in the 14th century AD/CE by Goharshad Begum, the wife of Shah Rukh, and one of the great women in the history of Afghanistan’s culture.