B. A. Litvinsky, Zhang Guang-da, R. Shabani Samghabadi, eds.. History of the of Central , Volume III: The Crossroads of Civilizations: A.D. 250 to 750. Paris: UNESCO Publishing, 1996. 568 pp. 300FF, cloth, ISBN 978-92-3-103211-0.

Reviewed by Charles C. Kolb

Published on H-Asia (December, 1997)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein clude , , , , and por‐ are those of the reviewer and not of his employer tions of the . and lat‐ or any other federal agency. er joined the and the scope of the This review is divided into three sections: 1) project was enlarged to include the cultures of Background and General Assessment, 2) Summary Mongolia and the western of China. Some of Contents, and 3) Final Assessment, including a delays in implementing this project were due, in comparison with other English language works. part, to the political and civil strife in Afghanistan. The so-called "collapse" of the Soviet 1. Background and General Assessment Union has not been detrimental to the project; the As proclaimed in its Constitution, one of the former Soviet Central Asian republics have con‐ purposes of UNESCO is to develop and to increase tinued to participate in the efort. communication between peoples. In response to The volume reviewed here, although carrying this mandate, a , UNESCO's Histo‐ a publication date of 1996, only recently became ry of the Scientifc and Cultural Development of available in the United States, and is the third vol‐ Mankind, was published in 1968. Plans were then ume in a compelling and signifcant series enti‐ drawn to prepare a series of regional multi-vol‐ tled History of the Civilizations of . ume histories of , Central Asia, Latin Ameri‐ The series is projected to be comprehensive and ca, the , and . The initial to include six volumes covering the prehistory project, General History of Africa, was completed and history of the , from the initial evi‐ in the early 1970s, and in 1976 the United Nations dence of human occupation to the present day. authorized UNESCO to proceed with the volumes This volume joins its two renowned predecessors: on Central Asia. However, as the membership of History of the Civilizations of Central Asia, Vol‐ the United Nations expanded, so did the geo‐ ume I: The Dawn of : Earliest Times to graphic and cultural area comprising Central 700 B.C., edited by A. H. Dani and A. M. Masson Asia. In its initial stage, the coverage was to in‐ H-Net Reviews

(535 pp.) and published in 1992; and Volume II: clude A. D. H. Bivar, Richard N. Frye, Janos Har‐ The Development of Sedentary and Nomadic Civi‐ matta, and Denis Sinor. lizations: 700 B.C. to A.D. 250, edited by Janos This is not a treatise for the meek or the casu‐ Harmatta, B. J. Puri, and G. F. Etemadi (573 pp.) reader. It is packed with information and bibli‐ and issued in 1994. The fourth volume is designed ographic citations and, therefore, serves as an ex‐ to span the period from A.D. 750 to the end of the cellent reference work. The detail and complexity ffteenth century. vary from chapter to chapter, but the educated A distinguished international team of archae‐ layperson can also beneft from using this master‐ ologists, prehistorians, art historians, ethnogra‐ ful work. The book is a multi-stage and multi- phers, historians, and museum curators, among tiered cultural synthesis covering a vast region others, was assembled to synthesize the history of encompasing multiple social and political forms this vast region from 700/500,000 years ago to the and --as well as a variety of , present. They have consulted a voluminous litera‐ sects, and hybrids of these--and the emergence of ture published in many languages, or in obscure feudal and pastoral nomadic state-level societies locations, and often in small press runs. History of among autocratic and oligarchic kingdoms and the Civilizations of Central Asia, Volume III: The nation-states. The geographic vastness and cultur‐ Crossroads of Civilizations: A.D. 250 to 750 has al dynamics of the centuries included in this book twenty-four contributors and seven collaborating make it a superb reference work for the serious specialists from a dozen ; four are from scholar. Afghanistan, two from India, four from the ‐ , the combined land mass of ic Republic of Iran, two from Pakistan, three from and Asia, is a physiogeographic concept, while In‐ the People's Republic of China, eleven from the ner Asia includes Central Asia, and non- Russian Federation (two of whom are now de‐ sedentary peoples inhabiting the area from China ceased), and two from , with one each into contemporary . Spatially, the from France, , and the United States of UNESCO volume on Central Asia by necessity America. All of these authors are respected schol‐ touches upon an enormous region from Eastern ars in Central Asian studies of international Europe, Belarus, and on the west to the stature and include, for example, K. Chakrabarti, Chinese provinces of Sinkiang, Xingang, and A. H. Dani, Ph. Gignoux, J. Harmatta, B. I. Mar‐ Quinghai on the east, Mongola to the northeast, shak, E. E. Nerazik, Denis Sinor, A. Tafazzoli, and Siberia to the north, and the to the Wang Yao. The contributors employ, cite, and of‐ south. However, the main focus is on southern ten synthesize a wealth of source materials, in‐ , , , , Turk‐ cluding archaeological reports (among them some menistan, Tajikistan, Persia/Iran, Afghanistan, unpublished documents or materials unavailable Pakistan, and northern India. This "heartland" of in the west), petroglyphic inscriptions, murals, nu‐ Eurasia was the region from which movements of mismatics, written documents ranging from those peoples helped to shape much of the ancient and composed by Latin authors to ones written by In‐ medieval . Likewise, the frontiers of Central dian scholars and Chinese monks, contemporary Asia have shifted from age to age, varying accord‐ legal texts, eulogies, etc. Information is also pro‐ ing to the balance of power between the indige‐ vided by the nineteem original and sixteen cur‐ nous populations and those of the sedentary civi‐ rent members of the International Scientifc Com‐ lizations of Southwest Asia, the Asian Subconti‐ mittee and four members of the Reading Commit‐ nent, and . tee which oversaw the fnal editing. The latter in‐

2 H-Net Reviews

Chronologically, the book encompasses the umes, and details the structure of the current vol‐ period from the third to the eighth century A.D., a ume. Chapter One, "Historical introduction" (B. A. time of complex political events, warring dynas‐ Litvinsky and Zhang Guang-da), is a masterful ties, ethnic migrations, social and economic re‐ overview in which the Sasanians; Guptas; Sui, forms, and cultural upheaval and resurgence. The Wei, and T'ang dynasties; fve oasis states; the eco‐ UNESCO series and authors of Volume III use con‐ logical setting; nomadic societies; and the Hsiung- sistently B.C. and A.D. terminology rather than nu and the are characterized briefy. The B.C.E. and C.E. The specifc period A.D. 250 " Route," the network of land and sea routes through 750 was an era when powerful from the Yellow Sea to the Mediterranean and such as Sasanian Iran (224-651) and T'ang China from the south Urals to the Indian Ocean, is (618-907) infuenced smaller polities and wit‐ viewed as a conduit of peoples, material culture, nessed the rise (and, sometimes, the fall) of lesser and ideas. The authors state correctly that "the states and kingdoms. Nomadic migrations and the area was an ethnic melting pot, sometimes sim‐ evolution of empires such as the Hsiung- mering quietly and at other times erupting; the nu, Hephthalite (the Red and White Huns), and reciprocal infuence and intermingling of cultures Turks took place during this era. In addition to was equally intense" (p. 33). multi-ethnic populations, sociopolitical systems Chapter Two, "Sasanian Iran--economy, soci‐ (some with caste systems and slavery, others ety, arts and crafts" (N. N. Chegini and A. V. semi-feudal in character), and major religious tra‐ Nikitin), provides a well-documented review of ditions (, , Sasanian political history, sociopolitical similari‐ , , , and Islam) ties to the Parthians who preceeded them, politi‐ arose and declined, or spread. With the Arab con‐ cal administration, royal cities (Bishapur and Cte‐ quest of Iran and Middle Asia and the Islamiza‐ siphon), the fscal reforms of Khursrau I, the irri‐ tion of a major portion of Central Asia, fundamen‐ gation agriculture economy, numismatics, the tal changes occurred not only to religious systems army (organization, strategy, tactics, and arma‐ but also to the sociopolitical fabric of societies, to ments), cities and fortifcations, court and reli‐ their secular and religious arts and crafts, and to gious architecture, and arts and crafts (especially their commercial enterprises. Overland trade net‐ stone carving, ceramics, glass, weaving, and works such as the "" (forms of which ex‐ metallurgy). Notably, Roman prisoners of isted in prehistoric times well before C.E.) and the were enlisted to build dams and bridges, while sea routes not only played roles in the dissemina‐ Achaemenid, Roman, and Parthian models of ar‐ tion of goods and services, but also religious and chitectural style were appropriated, as was the political ideologies, and the spread of cultural and adoption of the technique of "proclamatory art," scientifc heritage. used to emphasize divine kingship. Chapter 2. Summary of Contents Three, "Sasanian Iran--intellectual life" (A. Tafaz‐ I shall next summarize the salient points zoli and A. L. Khromov), reviews Sasanian secular made in each chapter and then assess the volume literature, including epic poetry, tales, legends, po‐ in light of other sources published in English. The litical tracts, and religious texts. Middle Persian prefactory essay, "Description of the project" (pp. (Pahlavi) language, Manichaean script, and 11-13), is by M. S. Asimov, President of the Inter‐ Parthian (Pahlavanig) language characteristics national Scientifc Committee, who outlines the are also considered. The authors also document history of this regional project, reports on the two cultural borrowings and infuences, science and previously published and three anticipated vol‐ , court chronicles, and religious organi‐ zation (Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism). Chap‐

3 H-Net Reviews ter Four, "The Kushano-Sasanian kingdom" (A. H. (A. H. Dani, B. A. Litvinsky, and M. H. Samir Saf), Dani and B. A. Litvinsky), details state organiza‐ covers the later history of three complex states. tion and administration, socioeconomic charac‐ Numismatics, Chinese pilgrim accounts by Fa- teristics and commerce, religious faiths, and lan‐ hsien and Hsuan-tsang, and Persian geographies guages and scripts, including the Brahmi alpha‐ are among the sources used to document the loss bet. However, in the main, this chapter deals with of international trade routes by the Kushans and cities and architecture, including cultural edifces , and the latter state's transition from a and monasteries, architectural styles, and major satrapy political administration to a semi-feudal arts and crafts such as ceramics, metal working, system which included slavery and the absorption and armament manufacture. of the caste system is addressed. A review of later Chapter Five, "The Kidarite kingdom in Cen‐ Hephthalite history fnds the Huns split into Red tral Asia" (E. V. Zeimal), recounts the origin, rise, and White groups, and acting as a bufer between and history of the nomadic Kidarites (called Turk kagans located to the north and Sasanian Chionites by Latin authors, Huna by others) who Iran to the south. The Khalaj of western occupied northern Afghanistan and southern were the political successors of the Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and their conquest of and are thought by some historians to be the and . between the Indian present-day -speaking Ghilzai tribe of Guptas and Huna, the Sasanian conquest of Bac‐ Afghanistan. Fortifed urban centers and life in tria, and Hephthalite invasions are also empha‐ (the former , and composed of sized. Kidarite socieconomic, political, monetary, northern Afghanistan, southern Uzbekistan, and commercial, and ideological characteristics are Tajikistan) are also considered. surveyed, and the author states that the Kiderites Chapter Eight, "The Gupta kingdom" (K. considered themselves to be the heirs of the Chakrabarti), documents the origin, political his‐ Kushan kings and adopted Kushan heritage and tory, socioeconomics, decentralized political ad‐ traits. Chapter Six, "The Hephthalite " (B. ministration, religious system (Puranic Hin‐ A. Litvinsky), begins with an assessment of the duism), literature, science, art, and architecture of theories of Hephthalite origins, their early politi‐ the Guptas of northwest India. The author con‐ cal and military history, and their conquests in cludes that "Gupta culture was essentially indige‐ Gandhara and northern India. Litvinsky also doc‐ nous in character and set the norms for subse‐ uments Hephthalite sociopolitical structure and quent developments [in the region]" (p. 206). The administration, the toleration of multiple reli‐ Guptas politically unifed the valley and gions (Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Manichaeism, modifed the traditional caste system (varna) and Christianity), and the practice of polyandry. based upon "colour and race" to a system founded The (derived from Greek) was on occupation. Chakrabarti documents overland the "ofcial" language, but a half-dozen other lan‐ and sea trade, the nature of Indian "feudalism," guages coexisted. Urban settlements ( was two sects of , Classical litera‐ the largest town), agricultural villages, and no‐ ture (poetry, drama, and theater), scientifc ac‐ madic pastoralism are also reviewed. The author complishments (signifcant among them mathe‐ also recounts the monumental Buddhist statues at matics, astronomy, and the study of animal dis‐ Bamiyan, located in central Afghanistan, and ce‐ eases), and arts and crafts (particularly embroi‐ ramics and metallurgy, among other crafts. dery, brocade, and muslin). Chapter Seven, "Eastern Kushans, Kidarites in Chapter Nine, "Khwarizem" (E. E. Nirazik and Gandhara and Kashmir, and Later Hephthalites" P. G. Bulgakov), traces the history and culture, re‐

4 H-Net Reviews views sociopolitical characteristics, and presents own identity (p. 273). The "troubled" political his‐ some information on the art, architecture, reli‐ tory of Ferghana, located on the main trans-Asian gion, and language of Khwarizem (Chorasmia). , saw Turks in the north and in The fourth through sixth centuries C.E. began south prior to conquest by the Turks in 739. The with the decline of the and Heph‐ archaeological remains in Chach and Ilak (the thalite conficts with Sasanians and ended with region), polities with histories similar to the Arab conquest of the entire region. The au‐ Ferghana, are also reviewed. thors employ numismatics, epigraphy, archaeolog‐ Chapter Eleven, "The city-states of the Tarim ical data, and Arab historical accounts in their es‐ basin" (Zhang Guang-da), is the best and most de‐ say. The sites of Toprak-kala (a fortifed royal resi‐ tailed short assessment of this 1,600 km-long area dence) and the settlement of Kulyk-kala (41 ha in that I have seen in the English language. The area), commerce to the Aral and Caspian seas, fre chapter covers the third through eighth centuries, worship and the evidence for ossuaries, and the when powerful city-states occupied this crucial use of an Eastern Iranian language with trans-Asian region, and begins with an analysis of based on script are considered. Religious geography and climate, peoples and languages, so‐ beliefs including Zoroastrianism and coexisting cial life and economy, and a review of administra‐ local cults are also documented. The Arab con‐ tive systems. The complex political history, cara‐ quest began in 693 but was not successful until van-trade commerce, (with pre-Zoroastri‐ 712, and the authors recount Abu Raihan al- an beliefs and two schools of Buddhism coexist‐ Biruni's Chronology of Khwarizem's culture histo‐ ing), and art and architecture are also summa‐ ry written ca. C.E. 1000-1003. rized. The area saw the rise of the (descen‐ Chapter Ten, "Sogdiana" (B. I. Marshak and N. dants of the Achaemenid ) and irrigation N. Negmatov), covers the third through eighth agriculture, combined with stock breeding and centuries and is divided into two parts: Sughid craft production, the latter including work in jade, and adjacent regions, and Ustrushana, Ferghana, turquoise, lapis, coral, ivory, and pearls. The au‐ Chach, and Ilak. The authors use accounts by Chi‐ thor writes that culture was a "pecu‐ nese travelers, Byzantine authors, archaeological liar syncretism of various heterogeneous civiliza‐ data, and Sogdian sources in their synthesis. Sog‐ tions" (p. 298)--for example, Gandharan style dians are characterized as irrigation agricultural‐ mixed with Iranian, Hellenistic, Bactrian, and ists and silk traders, their city of Afrasiab is de‐ Buddhist elements. The political history saw an‐ scribed, while heterogeneous cultural elements nexation by the Wei dynasty, incursion by the (Byzantine, Iranian, Turk, and Chinese), multiple Juan-juan, Kushan infuence, the separation of the religious orientations, and literature and scripts Chinese into north and south centers of infuence, are recounted. The second part of the chapter in‐ invasion by the Western Turks, and T'ang dynas‐ cludes a summary of the secession of Ustrushana tic consolidation. In Chapter Twelve, "Kocho (Kao- from the Sogdian federation and documents its ch'ang)" (Zhang Guang-da), the author documents sociopolitical structure, subsistence activities, a 50,144 km square strategically-located area, the considerable mining and metallurgy, pottery man‐ Turfan Depression, located in the T'ien Shan re‐ ufacture, commerce, architecture, the Kala-i gion. Control was exercised by the Han (60 B.C.- Kahkala palace, and a local form of Zoroastrian A.D. 200), Wei (220-265) and Western Chin religion. Ustrushanian culture was independent, (265-316) prior to the establishment of the Kocho traditional, technologically complex, and "in the Prefecture (327-460) and Kolcho Kingdom forefront of Central Asian cultural " and (460-640), ending with T'ang dynasty control. The closely related to Sogdian culture, but with its administrative system, commercial activities, and

5 H-Net Reviews cultural and religious heterogeneity are reviewed. Chapter Fifteen, "The (Hsi- By 840, the Uighur Empire of Mongolia was over‐ yu) under the T'ang Empire and the kingdom of thrown by the Kyrgyz, and ffteen defeated tribes " (Mu Shun-ying and Wang Yao), presents a fed to the west and settled, in the main, in the summary of the political history and culture of Turfan Basin. the western portion of the T'ang Empire (618- Chapter Thirteen, "Northern " (L. R. 907), and an analysis of the eastward and west‐ Kyzlasov), is a review of the frst fve centuries ward expansion of the Tibetan kingdom resulting C.E., when tribes of various origins inhabited the in the invasion of China in 755. The Tibetans and Eurasian from the to the Eastern Turks combined unsuccessfully to ‐ Great Wall of China. These tribes included semi‐ lenge the T'ang from 663 to 692. The author also nomadic herdsmen, stockbreeder-farmers, or discusses the spread of Buddhism and the con‐ agriculturalists who kept cattle. Kyzlasov employs struction of monasteries and temples, the archae‐ written Chinese chronicles and archaeological ev‐ ological evidence for Tibetan crafts (epecially for idence in his essays on the K'ang-chu (an oases- textile and paper manufacture, and iron work‐ oriented state-level society in the Syr-Darya area), ing), animal husbandry emphasizing the yak, and the Western Huns, the Hsien-pi of the River the introduction of Tibetan script and grammar. area, the Juan-juan (a Mongolian empire-state, Chapter Sixteen, "Tokharistan and Gandhara un‐ C.E. 402-555), the Turks who occupied Mongolia der Western Turk rule (650-750)" (J. Harmatta and (552-745), and two militaristic tribes--the T'ieh-le B. A. Litvinsky), commences with a review of the and Kao-chu. Chapter Fourteen, "The Turk Em‐ history of the region in which the importance of pire" (D. Sinor and S. G. Klyashtorby), is a detailed the silk trade is documented. Numismatic data, essay in which the First (553-682) and the Second Chinese encyclopaedia entries, epigraphy, and Turk Empires (682-745) are reviewed. The Turk ethnolinguistic analyses provide primary sources bordered on three major seden‐ for the chapter. The polities of Tokharistan (with tary civilizations--China, Iran, and Byzantium. The its capital located at Balkh), Kapisa-Gandhara, and authors review the indigenous historical docu‐ are documented, and Harmatta writes ments, ethnogenesis of the Eastern and Western that the latter two "stood as islands in the sea of Turks, Turk economics and political history. Ini‐ Arab predatory raids" (p. 383), while Seistan, tially, the Turks were pastoral nomads who also Tokharistan, , and the Sind came un‐ mined and processed iron, but gradually assumed der Arab rule during the eighth century. Litvinsky control of segments of the overland trade routes documents the languages, literature, coinage, art, and dominated the silk trade. The T'ang were able and architecture of the region. He considers the to play one Turk ruler against another, but the multiracial kingdom of Shahis, the New Turkic empire resurged in 682, organized into Persian (parsi-i-) language, origins of the three tribal groups composed of thirty-one tribes, and their language, and the Pashto, routed the Mongolian Uighurs, and established Nuristani, and . imperial ties with China. However, the fall of the Chapter Seventeen, "Religions and religious Second Turk Empire left a political vacuum in the movements--I" (Ph. Gignoux and B. A. Litvinsky), steppe until the Uighurs again came into power in documents Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism. 744. The Arab conquest began in 739, and in 751 a Among the former, rituals, sects, deities, and re‐ Chinese army was defeated by Arab and Turk gional variations are considered; in the latter, the forces. concept of dualism, social criticism, worship, liter‐ ature, and art (including illuminated manuscripts) are discussed. became the cen‐

6 H-Net Reviews ter of Manichaeism in the east where it coexisted the Byzantine wars (C.E. 604-628), civil war in with Buddhism. Chapter Eighteen, "Religions and Iran, and economic collapse. He also characterizes religious movements--II" (B. A. Litvinsky and M. I. the relations between and non-Muslims, Vorobyova-Desyatovskaya), considers Christianity the Islamization process, regional administration and Buddhism, among other religions. Christian in the conquerored territories, and the fnal con‐ communities in and the quests (Tabaristan, Dailam, Zabul, Kabul, Gand‐ are reported, and the spread of Christianity into hara, Ghur, and the Sind). Turkic areas of Central Asia are reviewed, as is The fnal essay, Chapter Twenty, "Central Asia, the rise of , Shiva, and "local" reli‐ the cross roads of civilizations" (B. A. Litvinsky gions in Iran and Mongolia. An excellent essay on and Zhang Guang-da), is an overview of the "in‐ the rise and spread of Buddhism into Central Asia teractions and multilateral cultural exchanges be‐ concludes this chapter. Among the topics elabo‐ tween all the great civilizations standing at the rated upon are the written sources, inscriptions, crossroads of Central Asia during the period from and regional texts (emphasizing , the third to the eighth century" (p. 473). The au‐ Bactria/Tokharistan, the Merv oasis, Semirechye/ thors' synthesis employs literary acounts and ar‐ Kyrgyzstan, Kapisa/Afghanistan, Gandhara, and chaeological data and discusses Sasanian Iran, so‐ Nagarahara [Hadda/]), Sanskrit cial diversity, economic complexity and coinage, manuscripts and translations, and the systems types of communities, ceremonial buildings, ur‐ and schools of Buddhism. The analyses of the ban planning, craft specialization, and religion manuscripts provides signifcant insights into pa‐ and writing. Nomadic and seminomadic herders leography and linguistic peculiarities. occupied the steppes; agricultural villages sup‐ Chapter Nineteen, "The Arab conquest" (B. A. ported "towns" (composed of the town proper, its Litkinsky, A. H. Jalilov, and A. I. Kolesnikov), pro‐ citadel, and suburbs) which were also craft cen‐ vides a summary of the from the ters for the production of ceramics, metal goods, , ensuing conquests and subju‐ textiles, and leather. Likewise, these towns were gation, and Islamic expansion into Central Asia. foci for the fne arts (music, dance, and theater) The initial section of the chapter details the frst and the graphic arts. By the eighth century, the Arab invasion of Iran (C.E. 633), and the conquests city of Merv is estimated to have had a population of and Iraq (636), Khuzistan (642), Seistan/ of 60,000. The authors also point out the syn‐ Drangiana (650- 651), and Khurasan (651). The lat‐ cretism between Islam and Buddhism as seen in ter marked the death of the Yazgird III early Sufsm, and they conclude that "Central and the end of the Sasanian Empire. Although the Asian civilization from the third to the eighth cen‐ Arabs took the cities of , Merv, and Balkh, lo‐ tury, or rather the structure of Central Asian civi‐ cal peoples continued their rebellions against the lizations of that period, was the basis of many of Arabs. Nonetheless, by 651 Islam had spread east‐ the fundamental principles of Islamic civilization ward to the Sind and into northern Afghanistan. in later centuries" (p. 490). Arab incursions into Transoxiana in the year 673 3. Final Assessment began as raids that ultimately led to military cam‐ This highly specialized volume is superbly il‐ paigns in (705-706) and lustrated (170 fgures) and well-documented (712), and a political consolidation of the region. (1,032 footnotes and forty-nine pages of "Bibliog‐ Central Asian peoples continued to rebel against raphy and References" containing 1,175 entries to the Umayyads (ca. 720-750), and the successor Ab‐ the primary and major secondary literature). The basids and local nobles (750-810). Kolesnikov con‐ seven maps, often with detailed insets, are them‐ cludes that the Sassanian Empire fell because of

7 H-Net Reviews selves an indispensible resource, while very use‐ more up-to-date treatment than the chapters in ful thirteen-page double-column index is, in the Philip L. Kohl's edited volume, The main, devoted to proper nouns. The work is com‐ Civilization of Central Asia: Recent Soviet Discov‐ prehensive for the period C.E. 250-750 and pro‐ eries (Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 1981). Volume II vides an up-to-date synthesis of the Eurasian also replaces several of the now dated Ancient heartland, Central Asia. A single volume treat‐ Peoples and Places series, including V. M. Masson ment, The History of Early and V. I. Sarianidi's general work, Central Asia: (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Turkmenia before the Achaemenids (New York: Press, 1990) edited by Denis Sinor, remains as a Praeger, 1972), Tamara Talbot Rice's The Scythi‐ signifcant contribution to Central Asian studies, ans, (New York: Praeger, 3rd ed. 1961), and covering the larger area of Inner Asia from the Tadeuz Sulimirski's The Sarmatians (New York: earliest times to the thirteenth century. There are Praeger, 1970), as well as R. Rolle's Die Welt der also parallels with some of the chapters in F. R. Skythen (Munich, 1980), translated as The World Allchin and N. Hammond's edited work, The Ar‐ of the , Berkeley: University of California chaeology of Afghanistan: From Earliest Times to Press, 1989). These works, important contribu‐ the Timurid Period (London: Academic Press, tions for their time, have been eclipsed by the UN‐ 1978). One volume seminal for its era, Archaeolo‐ ESCO series. gy in (Leiden: Brill, 1970), is Specialists on Central Asia often have a dif‐ displaced by these more recent works and by the cult time keeping up with the current literature, frst three UNESCO volumes. There is a very mi‐ so that the volumes in this series will become a nor overlap with some materials in Nomads of the benchmark for many years to come, much as the Eurasian Steppes in the Early (edited by Cambridge Ancient History, 18 vols. (1954-1989), Jeannine Davis-Kimball, Vladimir A. Bashilov, and and The Cambridge , 7 vols. Leonid T. Yablonsky; Berkeley: Zinat Press, 1995), (1983-1997), have become the standard references which covers components of the Late Bronze Age against which future research and syntheses will and the whole of the Early Iron Age to ca. A.D. 400 be measured. The six volumes of the UNESCO His‐ [see the review in American Journal of Archaeolo‐ tory of the Civilizations of Central Asia will be‐ gy 101:407-408 (1997)]. Therefore, Volume III, with come a landmark for this major geocultural re‐ its subtitle The Crossroads of Civilizations, flls a gion as, for example, the seven-volume The Hand‐ signifcant chronological gap in the literature on book of South American Indians (Julian H. Stew‐ Central Asia. ard, editor; Washington: Smithsonian Institution, A preceeding volume in the UNESCO series, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 143, History of the Civilizations of Central Asia, Vol‐ 1946-1959) and Handbook of Middle American In‐ ume II: The Development of Sedentary and No‐ dians (Robert Wauchope, general editor; Austin: madic Civilizations: 700 B.C. to A.D. 250 (edited by University of Texas Press, 1964-1976) with sixteen J. Harmatta, B. N. Puri, and G. F. Etemandi, 1994), original volumes and fve supplemental volumes covers in a more comprehensive manner topics (1981-1992), the latter edited by Bricker and Ed‐ also detailed by Fredrik T. Hiebert in Origins of monson, have for specialists in ar‐ Bronze Age Oasis Civilization in Central Asia chaeology and ethnography. (Cambridge: Harvard University, Peabody Muse‐ Litvinsky and his colleagues are to be com‐ um of Archaeology and Ethnology, American mended for preparing this indispensible synthesis School of Prehistoric Research Bulletin 42, 1994) and reference work for the crucial period C.E. [see the review in American Journal of Archaeolo‐ 250-750 and for employing a variety of source ma‐ gy 100:182-183 (1996)]. Likewise, it provides a

8 H-Net Reviews terials, including archaeological data and written accounts in this essential work that will serve for many years as a benchmark for this era of Central Asian prehistory and history. I believe that it would be difcult to have a truly balanced per‐ spective of Eastern European, Southwest Asian, or Far Eastern history without having read appropri‐ ate chapters from this especially valuable summa‐ ry and resource. In some ways Central Asia is sim‐ ilar to a theatrical stage which through time wit‐ nessed signifcant synchronic and diachronic changes as the polities, political and/or military leaders, and religious beliefs entered, played their roles, and remained or exited the scene. This is a compelling work in an invaluable se‐ ries and is recommended to all scholars whose in‐ terests include any portions of Eurasia. Copyright (c) 1998 by H-Net, all rights re‐ served. This work may be copied for non-proft educational use if proper credit is given to the au‐ thor and the list. For other permission, please con‐ tact [email protected].

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Citation: Charles C. Kolb. Review of Litvinsky, B. A.; Guang-da, Zhang; Samghabadi, R. Shabani, eds. History of the Civilizations of Central Asia, Volume III: The Crossroads of Civilizations: A.D. 250 to 750. H-Asia, H-Net Reviews. December, 1997.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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