The iconic minaret of Jām stands in a remote mountain valley in central Afghanistan, the finest surviving monument of the enigmatic 12th-century Ghūrid dynasty. The rediscovery of the minaret half a century ago prompted renewed interest in the Ghūrids, and this has intensified since their summer capital at Jām became Afghanistan's first World Heritage site in 2002.

Two seasons of archaeological fieldwork at Jām, the detailed analysis of satellite images and the innovative use of Google Earth have resulted in a wealth of new information about known Ghūrid sites, and the identification of hundreds of previously undocumented archaeological sites across Afghanistan.

Drawing inspiration from the Annales school and the concept of an 'archipelagic landscape', David Thomas has used this data to reassess the Ghūrids and generate a more nuanced understanding of this significant Early Islamic polity.