PERTH.- A stunning exhibition of treasures once thought lost to the world opened at the Western Australian Museum, Perth.

WA Museum CEO Alec Coles said the Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul exhibition contained more than 200 rare and beautiful objects dating back to the Bronze Age, from a place that was once at the crossroads of the world’s great civilisations.

“Standing as it did at the heart of the ancient Silk Road, Afghanistan was the historic link between Iran, Central Asia, India, and China and became a trading place for gold, glass, ceramics and precious stones with civilisations as far away as Rome, Greece and even Egypt,” Mr Coles said.

“The objects in this exhibition span 2,000 years of exquisite craftsmanship, and the fact we even have them here at all is an incredible story in itself.”

These objects were thought to have been stolen or destroyed during Afghanistan’s years of conflict, when thousands of irreplaceable antiquities were lost. But a brave group of five staff from the National Museum in Kabul hid them, risking their lives to save their cultural heritage for future generations.

Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul is on display until 26 November.