The Ancient Art of Afghanistan

ORIENTAL ceramics expert, Hanne Sutcliffe, examines the Ancient Art of Afghanistan at Tennants Garden Rooms, Leyburn, on Tuesday, February 11, from 2-3pm.

This lecture for The Arts Society Wensleydale, considers the magnificent gold, silver, ivory, bronze and glass objects excavated in the kingdom of Bactria (ancient Afghanistan) that illustrate a unique fusion of Greek, Persian and Indian motifs.

Greek and Macedonian refugees fleeing the depredations of Alexander the Great settled there in c300 BC. The exquisite archaeological finds range from Bronze Age gold and silver to first century AD carved ivory, along with 20,000 gold artefacts found in six tombs in Tillya Tepe, Northern Afghanistan.

This rich heritage was believed to have been lost after 30 years of war and anarchy. However, thanks to the courage of Afghan museum staff who hid the treasure, often risking their lives to do so, it survived and re-emerged intact in 2002.

It has subsequently toured the world – a magnificent cultural symbol of hope for the future of Afghanistan.

Hanne is an extra-mural lecturer at Leeds University, Harrogate College and the Art Fund. A Council Member of the Oriental Ceramics Society and author of Chinese Ceramics at Lotherton Hall, she has lectured extensively in Europe, the USA, Australia and China.

Tickets are £10 (refunded if you join TASW). Members of other Art Societies, with membership card, pay £5. Contact 01845 567489 or wensleydale@theartssociety.org for tickets, which are also available immediately prior to the lecture. Full details of the 2019-2020 programme are atwww.theartssociety.org/wensleydale.