Buddhism and Features of the Buddhist Art of Bactria-Tokharistan

This chapter examines Buddhism and the features of the Buddhist art in the Bactria-Tokharistan region of Central Asia. The findings indicate that Buddhism spread to Bactria in the Kushan period because of the support of the Kushan nobility. During the first to third centuries there was a considerable growth of Buddhist art, mainly that of the monumental variety. Most of the work on the decoration of Buddhist monuments at that time was undertaken by professional artists who did not belong to the Buddhist community.

Money as a Marker of Cultural Continuity and Change in Central Asia

This chapter examines the role of coins or money as a marker of cultural continuity and change in Central Asia. It explores the full range of surviving coins to create an overview of coinage in the region and suggests that the origins and progress of coinage in ancient Central Asia can be seen as creating for the region an emerging tradition framing both the long-term and the innovative elements which characterize the coins of the region as contributors to a unified pattern. The findings reveal that, for more than 1,000 years, the coinages of ancient Central Asia were part of a continuous tradition which illustrated the Greek and Iranian cultures of the region combined with the strong adherence of local settled communities to their nomad origins.

Gorgân and Dehistan: The North-East Frontier of the Iranian Empire

This chapter describes the Gorgân and Dehistan areas of the Vehrkana or Hyrcania, the north-east frontier of the Iranian empire. The plain of Gorgân constitutes its southern part while the plain of Misrian, or Dehistan, its northern part. The chapter explains that the plain of Gorgân was occupied earlier than the plain of Misrian to the north because of its favourable hydrological resources, and describes the settlements in these two areas.

Ai Khanum Reconstructed

This chapter discusses the computer graphic (CG) reconstruction of the ancient city of Ai Khanum. The CG reconstruction project was initiated by a Japanese television producer and the completed images showed the picture of Ai Khanum as a town during the middle of the second century BC, which corresponds to the final architectural phase of the city. The chapter explains that Ai Khanum is a key element for understanding the Hellenization of the East.

Nomad Migration in Central Asia

This chapter examines the ethnic and cultural identities and migration routes of nomadic tribes in Central Asia. It explains that the migration of Central Asian nomads, particularly into Transoxiana, can be divided into two categories. One is the long trans-regional route ascribable to the migration of the Yuezhi tribe from the valley of Gansu to the territory north of the Oxus River, and the other is the local migration attributed to the tribes such as the Dahae, Sakaraules, and Appasiakes. The chapter suggests that the events which determined nomad migration are connected with the history of the northern and western borders of Han China in the second century BC.

Nomads and the Shaping of Central Asia: from the Early Iron Age to the Kushan period

This chapter examines the role of the nomads in shaping the history of Central Asia during the period from the early Iron Age to the rule of the Kushan Empire. This study is based on the archaeological and chronological framework provided for the middle Zerafshan Valley by the site of Koktepe. The findings suggest that the nomads are a constant factor in the history of the steppe belt and of all the adjacent southern lands, and that they may have played an important role in the renewal of cultures and in the development of international trade.

Central Asia: West and East

This chapter discusses the interest of the west in the history of Central Asia. It explains that central Asia has been studied by many western scholars and explorers, including British archaeologist Aurel Stein and traveller Sir John de Maundeville. Central Asia figured prominently in the days of political concerns about the safety of British India in the nineteenth century and this generated the interest of scholars. Today, the boom in Central Asian studies is further encouraged by the presence in Britain of those who have worked in this field and the source of many new publications on both prehistoric and historic periods.

Introduction

This introductory chapter discusses the coverage of this book, which is about the history of Central Asia after its conquest by Alexander the Great and before the introduction of Islam. It explores the role of the nomads in the shaping of Central Asia, describes major cities and the arrangement of buildings, and explores the region's experience with a series of invasions. The chapter analyses the role of money as a marker of cultural continuity and change and discusses religious iconography and temples.

The Fire Temple at Tash-k’irman Tepe, Chorasmia

This chapter describes the fire temple in Tash-k'irman Tepe, Chorasmia. The interpretation of the Tash-k'irman Tepe fire temple is problematic, but there is strong enough evidence indicating the apparent parallels with Bronze and Early Iron Age cultic buildings, particularly in Margiana and Media. The Tash-k'irman Tepe temple seems to have its background in a mixture of early southern architectural influences and northern steppic cult practices, reflecting its unique location at the fringes of the settled ancient world, surrounded by steppe and desert.

Money in Eastern Central Asia before AD 800

This chapter examines the monetary history of the eastern region of Central Asia before AD 800. The findings reveal the use of Chinese and Chinese-style coins in the region; the use of Kushan, Byzantine, and Sasanian coins in particular locations at particular times; and the desire to create new local styles of coinage. The results also indicate that coins were not the only form of money.