illuminated

on monday, i had the extreme privilege to visit afghanistan's national archives, as a guest of ms. hafiza, one of the senior staff members of the archives. when i worked at nyu a few years ago, our library collaborated with them on a project called the afghanistan digital library.





the objective: to digitally repatriate extremely rare books produced within the first 60 years of afghanistan's publishing industry. there has been so much loss of printed heritage within the country, and many of the older books, if they survive, are no longer in afghanistan but in private collections and the libraries of the western world. my brilliant friend, melitte buchman, came to kabul two years ago to train hafiza and her crew in digital imaging, bringing with her a lot of expensive equipment.

[afghanistan's only digital imaging unit!]

as with many things here, politics eventually led to a temporary cessation of the imaging project, but things again are looking more hopeful. the national archives is now under the leadership of journalist sakhi muneer, who has ambitious plans to create widespread partnerships with international organizations; to actively encourage prominent afghans to donate their books, manuscripts, and papers; and even to build an institute for the training of archivists within the national archives. he rightfully feels that afghans need to be more in control of the stewardship of their cultural heritage and that the national archives is ideal to lead this endeavor.


the collections are primarily stored in the basement of the palace that is their home (1890, built by emir abdurrahman khan + v. well preserved). while there wasn't time for a basement tour this time, on display at the archives were photographs documenting the lives of past afghan rulers; samples of the country's first paper currency; and, best of all, some breathtaking original illuminated manuscripts, hand-painted with lapis lazuli + gold.









when these manuscripts are digitized, they have to be unbound and carefully scanned (or photographed) page-by-page. the national archives employs a master binder to rebind scanned manuscripts + other items whose housings may be deteriorating. melitte + crew were also responsible for installing the bindery at the archives, v. impressive.












i hope to visit the national archives at least once more before i leave kabul + will insist on seeing the basement, where i know there are treasures + treasures + treasures hidden away. a dream for a scavenger archivist, you betcha.