Istalif has long been regarded as one of the most picturesque settlements in the region. In the early 16th century, the Mughal ruler
Babur admired the town and is said to have held gatherings in gardens and summer residences there. The town’s terraced layout, abundant orchards, and streams made it a notable retreat in the region. Nineteenth-century travellers left some of the earliest detailed descriptions of the settlement and its inhabitants. The British explorer
Charles Masson described Istalif as one of the most beautiful places in the region, writing:
Istalif is one of the most picturesque spots which can be conceived; all that a combination of natural beauties can achieve we behold here in perfection: their effect is not diminished, but rather augmented by the rude appearance of the houses of the town. The scenery of the country around is extensive and grand, in happy unison with the keeping of the whole picture. The people of the country have a proverb, that he who has not seen Istalif has nothing seen.A few years later, the Scottish explorer and British political officer
Alexander Burnes likewise
praised the landscape of the valley. Describing the view of the town, he wrote:
No written description can do justice to this lovely and delightful country… the town of Istalif rising in terraces above the valley.Burnes also remarked on the character of the inhabitants, describing the
Tajiks of the region as
skilled and
resilient fighters, despite common stereotypes portraying them as
primarily agricultural or craft-based communities.
It is a source of deep regret that this beautiful country should be inhabited by a race of men so turbulent and vindictive as the Tajiks have here proved themselves to be; and yet, throughout Afghanistan generally, these same Tajiks form the most peaceable classes of population. Here, however, their blood-feuds are endless: a week never passes without strife or assassination, and I have been assured, on the best authority, that a man frequently remains immured in his own tower for two and three years from the fear of his enemies. It is rare to see a man go to bathe, hunt, or even ride out, without a part of his clan attending him as a guard. These people have the reputation of being the best foot-soldiers in Afghanistan, and from all I could learn they merit the distinction.During the final phase of the
First Anglo-Afghan War, as
General Pollock's Army of Retribution marched into Kabul, many families fled to Istalif. On September 29, 1842, British troops were dispatched, which surrounded the town, attacked, and then systemically pillaged it. The British and Indian soldiers set fire to the cotton cloth of their victims and burnt them alive. They raped and massacred women and children as well. Five hundred women and children were captured. British troops, under Major General McCaskill, were ordered to burn the town. During the final phase of the
First Anglo-Afghan War, Istalif became the site of a
major confrontation. In September 1842 British forces advancing toward Kabul surrounded and attacked the town. After capturing it, troops under Major
General Pollock looted and
burned much of the settlement. They raped and massacred women and children as well. Until 1998, Istalif was a breadbasket for the region and surrounded by lush orchards growing grapes, roses and wheat. That year, the
Taliban cut down trees, burnt homes, and killed livestock to punish the villagers for supporting the
Northern Alliance's leader,
Ahmad Shah Massoud. The village began rebuilding itself after 2002. == Ceramics ==