Mss Eur F111/391, f 8

Poster conveying a message from the Amir of Afghanistan [Emir of Afghanistan], Abdur Rahman Khan, to the Afghan people. In the text, which is written in Farsi, the Amir quotes certain verses from the Quran (Q 14:7 and Q 4:59) to stress the importance of being grateful and obedient to those in authority. The message is that the people should accept the existing social hierarchy, which is present not only in Afghanistan, but also in the surrounding region. To illustrate this point, the text is accompanied by five pyramid-shaped drawings representing social hierarchies in Afghanistan (shown in the centre), British India, Persia [Iran], Russian Turkestan, and China.

The poster is dated 13 Jumada Al-Thani 1316 AH (29 October 1898). A small printing statement in the bottom left-hand corner indicates that this copy was printed on 20 November 1899.

Identical copies of the poster can be found in the same file at folios 5, 7, 9, and 10. A version of the poster with slightly smaller dimensions, which is made of thicker paper – possibly the version from which the other copies were produced – is also contained in the same file, at folio 12.