Knowledge and project for the protection of cultural heritage affected by armed conflict: some case studies from Afghanistan

Afghanistan has always been a crossroads of cultures, as it is situated in a significant position in relation to the historical stratifications of the “Silk Roads”. Its cultural heritage and architectural and archaeological heritage, in fact, reflect a past characterized by intricate interactions between Buddhism, Islam, Alexandrian Greece, and Achaemenid Persia. The vast Afghan territory is characterized by a variety of architectural and urban forms, which over the past fifty years has suffered extensive damage caused by different man-made factors, such as illegal excavations, looting of museums, and the armed conflict that has plagued this land since 1978. These disastrous events have, on the other hand, also provided valuable lessons and opportunities for critical intervention in the knowledge and protection of architectural and cultural heritage. This research will start from some conditions related to the presence of doctoral knowledge that intends to examine, through extensive documentation, the redesigning, and cataloging of some artifacts, comparing them to the progress made in the field of cultural heritage rights protection in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021 and highlighting the efforts of local and international humanitarian groups in the process of historical preservation. The terms of protection and preservation carried out through appropriate regulations and legislation will be critically analyzed through some examples that can become case studies. In addition, the foundations of contemporary legislation, tools, and methods for the knowledge and cataloguing of heritage assets, and project management practices will be investigated.