The Medallion From Herat

August 13, 1971

I walked into Afghanistan from Iran August 12, 1971 at Islam Qala. I slept rough that night under a blanket of 10 billion stars in a good Samaritan’s backyard. Then I hitch hiked in a police car into Herat, the westernmost city in a very eastern country.

Herat was dominated by a barely paved main road. Cars and motorbikes kicked up dust storms as they slalomed this obstacle course. In  their way were unsteady two or four wheeled carts drawn by horses, donkeys and weather beaten Afghans.

The road was framed by rickety one story buildings sheltering stores selling everything under the sun. It resembled a high street, a central shopping area. A concept brought by British colonists in the 1800s.

One pleasure I had when travelling was the primal desire to find treasure. I searched carefully from the time I landed in Lisbon weeks earlier. I was looking for things to wear as a badge to brand me as a traveler in exotic places. Wearable mementos weighed little. I lived out of my backpack. I didn't want to weigh it down with rocks, statues or carpets.

Just as an aside, about three weeks later I broke this covenant with myself when I purchased, in Kathmandu, a hard covered four volume set of the collected works of Mao Tse-Tung in English for the equivalent of about $1.

My retail therapy began among the shops after breakfast. I had time until an overnight bus ride to Kandahar embarked.

Deep in an old fashioned glass display case in a crowded curio shop I found a silvery medallion. It was cheap, five afghanis, well within budget and would be a badge no one else had.

Unique and covered in Hebrew words and symbols I thought it might have survived from biblical times or the middle ages.

What the heck was it doing deep in the heart of one of the least Jewish places on earth? That riddle has not been solved.

I've learned that the words are prayers. But no one I've asked, who could read it, has volunteered an answer to the mystery.

While I doubt that Moses was wearing it when he left Egypt 3000 years ago I do think there's the possibility of finding a historical connection if I were to show more initiative to search.

I wore the medallion around my neck for many years but it finally wore out. I've thought about having it replicated but haven't as yet.

Now I carry it in my wallet. Based on what’s happened to me since I found it I'm pretty sure it's a good luck charm.

And each time I chance to fondle the medallion I'm reminded of my 1971 adventure and that it won’t be over until I solve the mystery of the medallion.