The Nagara Tope, on site of ancient Nagarahara, Jellalabad Valley

Executed in pencil, the sketch relies on light, quickly rendered strokes and modest shading to convey depth. The use of faint cross‑hatching and marginal notes reveals a utilitarian approach typical of 19th‑century field surveys, prioritising clarity over artistic polish.

Simpson, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, produced the drawing during a period of British military and cartographic activity in Afghanistan. After its creation, the sheet entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings, where it remains as a document of colonial-era surveying practice.

The Nagara Tope hilltop was a strategic point in the Jellalabad Valley, an area of frequent conflict during the Anglo‑Afghan wars. Simpson’s map would have aided engineers and commanders in assessing the terrain and planning fortifications.