Indiana Jones: Myth, Reality And 21st Century Archaeology

Preservation of cultural heritage is one of the main concerns for nations worldwide. Yet, the maintenance and promotion of cultural patrimony poses unique concerns in areas of war and conflict. More specifically, monuments and sites symbolizing cultural heritage are often at the core of conflicts in nations embroiled in ethnic or religion-based transitions in hegemony. Afghanistan currently embodies a national struggle for identity as various groups struggle for power and dominance. The most visible aspect of cultures in conflict is their grand architecture and monuments attesting to the historic passage from Buddhism to Islam. The destruction of the Buddhist statuary at Bamyan by the Taliban in March 2001 arguably precipitated the cycle of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Join our discussion with Omar Sultan, former Deputy Minister of Culture in Afghanistan, and Dr. Laura Tedesco, current Cultural Heritage Resource Manager for the US State Department for Afghanistan.