St John-Simpson

Afghanistan has been subjected to centuries of turmoil, yet an astonishing collection of treasures survives and will be on show at the British Museum next week, as the exhibition’s curator St John Simpson explains Afghanistan is often described as the crossroads of Asia and of the ancient world, and a major new exhibition of objects loaned by the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul to the British Museum sets out to tell the story of its turbulent history and rich culture. By virtue of its position and physical geography, Afghanistan has always played an important role in the mediation of cultures between Iran, Central Asia and South Asia.