Holy Quran manuscript discovered in Bamyan

BAMIYAN CITY, Feb 12 (PAN): A bronze sculpture and a script of a copy of the holy Quran were handed over to the information and cultural department of ancient northern Bamiyan province on Thursday.

The items were discovered by provincial security officials from a house in Yakawlang district a week back.

Mohammad Rasul Shujae, head of the archeological branch of the provincial information and cultural department, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the 2.150g statue was 28cm long and 9cm wide and said the statue was from the Buddhist era, 2-5 AD.

He continued to say that the Quran, 50cm long and 40cm wide in Nastaliq script on hide, had 300 years of history, and claimed the items were precious and rare.

Mohammad Nasir Fayyaz, district chief of Yakawlang told PAN the items were recovered from a residence in the area.

Central Bamyan province has been a major center for valuable archeological items. A joint Afghan-French archaeological team headed by professor Zmeryalay Tarzai has unearthed about 89 different types of historic items including a 34cm long sculpture and many coins of the Greek and Islamic era from the surroundings of two ravaged statues and has rendered them to the information and culture department of the province.