Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Preghal mountain

Preghal (often incorrectly called Peer Ghar, Peer Ghal, and other variations) is the second highest mountain in the Sulaiman mountain range, with a height of 11,556 feet (3,522 metres). Preghal is situated in South Waziristan district, in an area inhabited by the Maseed tribe of Pashtuns. The upper ranges of the mountains are coated with spruce, pine, silver fir, deodar, oak, wild cherries, and other types of trees. 

You can read more about the history and flora and fauna of Preghal in this document by Captain W. R. Hay from 1928.

Below are stills from a video of Preghal by Jamshed Burki on YouTube. 






Friday, March 17, 2023

Forest in Khogyani

Zawa area in Khogyani district, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. Stills from a video by Exploring Afghanistan on Youtube.






Saturday, March 11, 2023

Pine forest in the Sulaiman mountains

Stills from a video of the Sulaiman mountains in northern Balochistan, Pakistan by Payam films on Youtube. The area hosts a diverse flora and fauna, such as pine nut trees, olive trees, markhors, rabbits, jackals, wolves, and more.

According to Pashtun folklore, Aais Abdur Rashid, the "founding father" of Pashtuns, is buried on top of Takht-e-Sulaiman (3,487 m). For this reason, the mountain is also known locally as "Da Kasi Dhar" (Mountains of Qais). Some people make animal sacrifice at the shrine, usually a sheep or a goat.



Monday, March 25, 2019

The village of Markhanai

Photos from the village of Markhanai, located in the Tora Bora mountains of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. photographer: SSGT Jeremy T. Lock, USAF. (Source)

Houses located on a hilltop in the village of Markhanai. 


Girls carrying water pots on their heads.


Villagers sitting outside their homes in the village of Markhanai. 


An elderly man goes about his daily tasks. 


A high angle view looking down on the village of Markhanai.


Villagers sitting by a poppy field.


Monday, March 4, 2019

Photos of Pashtun nomads by Josephine Powell

Photos of Pashtun nomads, taken by Josephine Powell during her travels in Afghanistan in the 1950's. (Source)






Thursday, February 21, 2019

Nomad children and a camel

Pashtun nomad children photographed with a camel in the North-West Frontier Province of British India. Photo taken by Randolph Bezant Holmes between 1915 and 1925. 


Sunday, November 4, 2018

Pashtun nomads photographed by Roland and Sabrina Michaud

Below are photos of Pashtun nomads, commonly known as Kuchis, photographed by Roland and Sabrina Michaud in Afghanistan:

Pashtun nomad woman with face tattoos and heavy jewelry in Chaghcharan, Afghanistan. Pre-1980. (Source)


Pashtun nomads on the road. 1971. (Source)


Pashtun nomad girl wearing jewelry. 1965. (Source)


A group of Pashtun nomad women. Undated. (Source)