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File:Mir Alam of Kohistan region in Afghanistan.jpg

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Ko-i-staun foot soldiery in summer costume

This lithograph is taken from plate 12 of 'Afghaunistan' by Lieutenant James Rattray. This Kohistani is Mir Alam, formerly one of a band of noted robbers on the road to Turkestan, north-west of Begram. Rattray wrote: "Coistaun has always been remarkable for the war-like character of its inhabitants, who average some forty thousand families famous for the efficiency and excellence of their Pyadas (foot-soldiery). As light infantry they are unrivalled, and from their numbers and determined courage, are of considerable importance in the event of any revolution in which they may take part."

The robber chief Hassan secretly and daringly accosted the British envoy William McNaghten and offered to bring him Dost Mohammmed's head in return for a large amount of money. Although this offer was hastily turned down, Hassan and his men were later enrolled among the infantry escort of Rattray's brother. Giving up their precarious livelihood, they became most efficient soldiers.

Mir Alam carries a 'juzzail', a type of large heavy rifle. Afghan snipers were expert marksmen and their juzzails fired roughened bullets, long iron nails or even pebbles over a range of some 250 metres. The Afghans could fling the large rifles across their shoulders as if they were feathers and spring nimbly from rock to rock. They loved to decorate their rifles: Rattray writes of finding one adorned with human teeth.
Date between 1839 and 1841
date QS:P,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P1319,+1839-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1326,+1841-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Source The British Library
Author Lieutenant James Rattray
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Public domain

This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.

You must also include a United States public domain tag to indicate why this work is in the public domain in the United States. Note that a few countries have copyright terms longer than 70 years: Mexico has 100 years, Jamaica has 95 years, Colombia has 80 years, and Guatemala and Samoa have 75 years. This image may not be in the public domain in these countries, which moreover do not implement the rule of the shorter term. Honduras has a general copyright term of 75 years, but it does implement the rule of the shorter term. Copyright may extend on works created by French who died for France in World War II (more information), Russians who served in the Eastern Front of World War II (known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia) and posthumously rehabilitated victims of Soviet repressions (more information).

This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights.

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current01:03, 16 February 2023Thumbnail for version as of 01:03, 16 February 20234,904 × 6,300 (6.14 MB)Historym1468 (talk | contribs)size
16:02, 5 June 2008Thumbnail for version as of 16:02, 5 June 2008520 × 712 (142 KB)Officer (talk | contribs){{Information |Description='''Ko-i-staun foot soldiery in summer costume''' This lithograph is taken from plate 12 of 'Afghaunistan' by Lieutenant James Rattray. This Kohistani is Mir Alam, formerly one of a band of noted robbers on the road to Turkestan

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