ANJOMAN-E TĀRĪḴ-E AFḠĀNESTĀN (Paṧtō: Da Afḡānestān Tārīḵ Ṭōlana; Historical Society of Afghanistan). The Society was founded in Kabul in 1321 Š./1942 to disseminate information about the history of Afghanistan by conducting research, promoting scholarship, and publishing scholarly works. It was officially recognized as a historical research institute in 1333 Š./1954 and was placed under the auspices of Wezārat-e Maʿāref. In 1345 Š./1966 it became an organ of the Ministry of Culture and remained as such until 1357 Š./1978 when it merged with the newly founded Academy of Sciences. According to its articles of association the Society is charged with the following responsibilities: 1. compiling a complete history of Afghanistan from the earliest time to the present; 2. conducting research in the fields of archeology, geography, culture, and literature of Afghanistan; 3. collecting and publishing sources of Afghanistan history (documents, treaties, and MSS as well as published texts); 4. conducting research about folklore of Afghanistan; this was later turned over to a specialized department within the Ministry of Information and Culture responsible for the publication of the bimonthly journal Folklor (26 issues published between 1352 Š./1973 and l356 Š./1978), replaced since l357 Š./1978 by another bimonthly journal Farhang-e ḵalq (Farhang-e mardom since 1359 Š./1980); 5. establishing reciprocal relationship with other cultural and scientific associations within the country and abroad.
The Society also founded two periodicals: Āryānā (founded 1321 Š./1942; languages: Darī and Paṧtō) and Afghanistan (founded 1325 Š./1946; languages: English and, to a lesser extent, French). They are now published quarterly by the Social Sciences Scientific and Research Center (before 1360 Š./1981 Institute of Social Sciences) of the Academy of Sciences.
S. Ikbal Ali Shah, “The Historical Society of Afghanistan,” Afghanistan 10/1, 1955, pp. 44-50.
S. de Laugier de Beaurecueil, “Les publications de la Société d’Histoire de l’Afghanistan,” Mélanges de l’Institut Dominicain d’Ētudes Orientales de Caire 7, 1962-63, pp. 236-40.
Originally Published: December 15, 1985
Last Updated: August 5, 2011
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Vol. II, Fasc. 1, p. 90