[Buddha-l] Call for volunteers to help save an important Buddhist site in Afghanistan

[JKirkpatrick]

 Forwarded from another list:

Some list members might already have read about the selling of an
ancient Buddhist site in Afghanistan to a Chinese company for
extracting copper ore. This company gave a deadline to
archeologists who are trying to save as much as they can before
they must leave. Read more about it from the list of links,
below--first posted by Dan Lusthaus earlier on the list; I'm
posting them again.

Might there be a few adventurous souls on this list who would
consider helping members of an archeology program to save as much
as possible from this site?  Please read the message from Chris
Thornton below, originally posted on the IER list, calling for
volunteers to help with the excavation. 

I have the impression that there are some student members on this
list to whom the adventure could appeal. Drop everything folks,
and sign up to help save the artifacts of an ancient Buddhist
site destined for deliberate destruction.

Links:
Wall St. Journal, back in Sept.:  http://tinyurl.com/2b93n59
* SEPTEMBER 17, 2010
Article: Rescuing Afghanistan's Buddhist History

More links:
Huffingtonpost:
http://tinyurl.com/2dhgaro

additional photos
http://www.osborneink.com/2010/11/morning-awful-mes-aynak.html

The UK's Mail Online, with larger photos:
http://tinyurl.com/2dwanbz

The AP report:
http://tinyurl.com/2ug82sn

Herald Online, with slideshow:
http://tinyurl.com/2djcw7o

Dan Lusthaus posted these links earlier on the list; time to post
them again.

Best,
Joanna K.
________________________________

To: Indo-Eurasian_research at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Indo-Eurasia] Re: More destruction of Buddhist sites in
Afghanistan

Dear All,

I met Phillipe Marquis, the leader of DAFA and one of the main
excavators of this site, while in China last month. He showed me
the finds from this site, which are truly spectacular. He also
told me about the extremely difficult work conditions that he
faces, and about his desperate need for more help. I put him in
touch with a number of Indian colleagues of mine who specialize
in Buddhist archaeology, but at this point, he really just needs
anyone who can pick up a trowel who is willing to get themselves
to Kabul. In some cases, he might even have money available to
fly people there.

I am planning a trip to Kabul in late spring as part of my
exhibit on US-Afghan relations (pre-1978), and am hoping to go
and work with

Phillipe for at least a week or two. If others are interested, or
if you want to know how you can help, please email Phillipe:

marquis.dafa at hotmail.fr <mailto:marquis.dafa%40hotmail.fr> 

He is an extraordinarily nice man and truly passionate about
saving the cultural heritage of Afghanistan. I encourage you all
to contact him to offer help, even if you cannot go there -- he
is not a Buddhist scholar by training (he works in prehistory,
mostly), and needs help from experts to tell him what he is
finding.

Best wishes,
Chris Thornton
(UPenn/George Mason/NGS)



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