Map of the Indian and Afghan Frontiers

The northwestern borders of British India on the precipice of the Second Anglo-Afghan War.

This eye-catching map of the border between the British Raj and Afghanistan was published by Edward Stanford in London in October 1878. It was issued during the height of the Great Game, a series of 19th-century diplomatic maneuvers between Russia and Britain for influence in the contested region. The arrival of a Russian embassy to Kabul in July of 1878 caused alarm bells in Westminster. British diplomats attempted to save face by demanding an apology and equal representation, but the death of the Emir’s son led to a delayed acknowledgement of the ‘offense’. The silent, growing tension in the following months likely prompted Stanford to issue this particular sheet, as the savvy audience in London saw war on the horizon.

The image presents a rather straightforward overview of the border region, with Afghanistan in green, India in pink (the archetypal hue of the British Empire), and independent Balochistan in pale yellow. The purple area, labeled Kakaristan, was under the control of an independent Pashtun tribe, with nominal authority claimed by the Emir. Stanford deliberately marks this as a distinct entity – a region ripe for the taking in order to capture valuable mountain passes and better protect the approaches to India.

Toponyms identify a fascinating variety of rural towns, military outposts, fortified cities, geographic features, and more. Of particular importance to the Great Game is the Kyber Pass (east of Peshawar), the ancient Silk Road city of Kandahar, the British garrison at Quetta (leased from the Khan of Kalat), the Bolan Pass, and the railhead at Mooltan. Hachured topography and elevation data offer a rudimentary overview of the landscape, which includes some of the most rugged terrain on the planet. The vast distances, steep mountains, and arid deserts are among the numerous reasons why a Russian invasion of India was never actually practicable or planned.