A 1965 travelogue captures the fading architectural splendor of Herat, Afghanistan
In short: In June 1965, engineer Watson Kintner documented the ancient ruins and intricate mosaics of Herat, Afghanistan. His unedited footage, part of a vast travel collection, offers a rare, silent window into the city's medieval history, from the Mussalla complex to the tomb of Goharshad, preserved on 16mm film.
Watson Kintner, a chemical engineer at the Radio Corporation of America and a pioneer in vacuum tube standardization, spent 36 years traveling to over 30 countries. His extensive film collection, held by the Penn Museum, includes a series of 40 reels documenting his 1965 journey through Afghanistan. Reel 39, filmed on June 22 and 23, focuses specifically on the historic city of Herat, capturing a landscape defined by its ancient towers, crumbling walls, and remnants of medieval artistry.
The footage provides a detailed look at Herat’s architectural heritage, including the Mussalla complex, which features 17th-century columns, and the Moghul-era structures attributed to Shahrukh Merzh. Kintner’s camera lingers on the tomb of Goharshad, documenting its ribbed, tiled brick dome and the interior mosaics that retain their color despite the passage of centuries. Beyond the major monuments, the reel captures smaller, intimate details: the intricate brickwork patterns of minarets, the smoke rising from local brick kilns, and the hand-operated reeling wheels used in traditional textile production.
Beyond architecture, the film serves as a cultural record, featuring the work of local artist Ghory Tayman. His paintings, which depict scenes of ancient and medieval life, are presented alongside his personal stone collection. The reel also highlights the region's craftsmanship, documenting three pieces of embroidery and an illuminated book from the 16th-century Moghul period. By capturing these fleeting glimpses of daily life and historical preservation, Kintner’s work remains a vital, unedited archive of a country’s cultural identity during the mid-20th century.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Afghanistan 1965 Reel 39 of 40
- Also: Afghanistan from the Watson Kintner Collection - Penn Museum
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