Known historically as "the foremost place in all of Asia", Old Kandahar lies in the southern Afghan mountains, on the traditional route between India and Iran. In the past, Western archaeologist were unable to examine this important site, believed to date back to the early half of the first millenium BC. In the late 1970s, Svend Helms was given permission to excavate the old city with the full co-operation of the Afghan authorities. This book is the report of his work. It examines the geography, pottery, architecture, inscriptions, coins and botanical material from the site and gives a new chronolgy for the city. An introduction outlines the historical evidence for Old Kandahar and raises new questions about the city's place in Asian history.