For good reason, the main media attention on the war has not been on
its impact on cultural artifacts. But the potential for a huge
impact is clearly there. Here are a few links to news accounts
related to the fate of numismatic artifacts in Kabul:
http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2001%2F11%2F23%2Fwkab223.xml
(you may need to cut and paste to make this first one into a complete
address)
http://www.dallasnews.com/science/STORY.ea3e5c965f.b0.af.0.a4.6e84a.html
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20011112/taliban.html
As we all share an interest in material culture, unfortunately we are
given a chance to consider another one of the forces that imperils
the artifacts we study.
This isn't meant to be a posting with any strong political content or
to start any political debate on these email lists to which I'm
sending it (my apoligies for cross-posting, but I don't think there's
a huge overlap among subscribers). Neither is there any intention to
imply that the artifacts are more important than any of the people
involved. But for the sake of numismatic anf archaeological
discussion, it is the artifacts that are relevant.
Sincerely,
Dan Freidus
--
Dan
"Paradise is exactly like where you are right now, only much, much *better*."
Laurie Anderson
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety." --Benjamin Franklin
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