Communities of various religious and ethnic backgrounds have lived in the land of what is now Afghanistan. Before the Islamic conquest, the south of the Hindu Kush was ruled by the Zunbil and Kabul Sh
7th century statue of Hindu God Surya statue from Khair Khaneh
Newly excavated Buddhist stupa at Mes Aynak in Logar Province. Similar stupas have been discovered in neighboring Ghazni Province, including in the northern Samangan Province.
Taller, 55 meter Buddha in 1963 and in 2008 after destruction
Smaller, 38 meter Buddha, before and after destruction.
The Muslim conquests of Afghanistan began during the Muslim conquest of Persia as the Arab Muslims expanded eastwards to Khorasan, Sistan and Transoxiana. Fifteen years after the battle of Nahāvand in
Minaret of Jam built by the Ghurid dynasty
Names of territories during the Caliphate
The Turk Shahi kingdom of Kabul in 700 AD
Mahmud receives a robe from Caliph Al-Qadir; painting by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani