ENCOUNTERSINCENTRALASIA
MODERN CENTRAL ASIA
VEGETATION ZONES
TOPOGRAPHY
THE STEPPE
THE STEPPE AND HUT
THE DESERTS
THE MOUNTAINS
THE OASIS
TIMELINE §TO 1500 BCE: RISE OF PASTORAL NOMADS §1500 BCE-200 BCE: INDO-EUROPEAN AGE §200 BCE-1380 CE: SILK ROAD EXCHANGES §200 BCE-1250 CE: XIONG-NU TO TURKS §1250 CE-1470 CE: THE MONGOL AGE §1470 CE-1640 CE: THE LAST NOMADS
NOMADIC ANIMALS
NOMADIC WARRIOR
INDO-EUROPEANS
CHARIOT PEOPLES INDO-EUROPEANSINDO-IRANIANSINDO-ARYANS THE SHANG ?
CYCLE OF CIVILIZATION 1. Nomads invade, conquer sedentary civilization 2. Nomads settled down, adopt many aspects of conquered civilization. 3. New syncretic culture thrives, reaches heights. 4. Nomadic culture weakens, loses all elements of old culture, falls to new nomadic threat.
B.C.E. Later Indo-Europeans especially the Sakas, Kushans, Bactrians, Parthians & Sassanids migrated into South and Southwest Asian; their movements blended Hellenistic, Persian, and Buddhist elements in a unique culture. Persians became very active in Central Asian settlement and trade
PARTHIANS, KUSHANS
SASSANIDS
HAN DYNASTY
THE HAN, ZHANG QIAN’S EMBASSIES, HORSES & SILK
THE SILK ROAD There were many Silk Roads across Central Asia beginning in China and ending on the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean.
THE SILK ROAD Han China and the Xiong-Nu battled for control of the Eastern Steppe. In the process, China sought allies & Central Asian horses, which they exchanged for silk. The nomadic peoples exchanged the silk with civilizations in Southwest Asia and the Silk Road was born.
RELIGIOUS EXCHANGES SYNCRETISM
INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGES Trade and/or Tribute?
INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGES Art and Architecture
THE XIONG-NU
XIONG-NU, HUNS, BLACK & WHITE HUNS Tribute Empire ConfederacyHostages Political Marriages Allies, Mercenaries Destroyed Rome, India Invaded Sassanid Persia Threatened China, Germans
UIGHURS (TURKS) Manichaen and BuddhistManichaen and Buddhist Supported merchantsSupported merchants Developed art, literatureDeveloped art, literature Allies, Enemies, Saviors of TangAllies, Enemies, Saviors of Tang The branches ruled in Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Sinkiang; parts migrated into Kazakh steppes & river valleys called Sogdiana river valleys called Sogdiana.
TURKS IN CENTRAL ASIA
ISLAM IN CENTRAL ASIA Arab Nomads 600 CE Muhammad 622 CE Sasanids Overrun: 637 CE Umayyads: 7th c. Abbassids: 8th c. Battle of Talas: 751 CE Religion & Technology Paper Products!
TURKS IN SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST ASIA §Seljuk Turks: 9th c. l Seljuk Turks invade Southwest Asia and defeat both the Abbassids and Byzantines. l Create sultanates and military states; rule as mercenaries throughout region. §Khwarazm Empire: 12th c.
THE MONGOLS Chinggis Khan Yuan Dynasty (China, Mongolia) Golden Horde (Russia, Ukraine) Ilkhanids (Persia, Iraq) Chagatayids (Central Asia) Pax Mongolica
EXTENT OF MONGOL EMPIRE
EXCHANGES UNDER THE MONGOLS Technology, Diseases, Peoples, Tribute
TAMERLANE Central Asia and Afghanistan - devastating raids into India, devastating raids into India, Persia, Iraq, Caucasus Mts. Persia, Iraq, Caucasus Mts. and Turkey. Built mounds of skulls following conquests and sieges. following conquests and sieges.
RELATED TOPICS The Pandemic called the Black DeathThe Pandemic called the Black Death Travels of Polo, Ibn Battuta, Bar SaumaTravels of Polo, Ibn Battuta, Bar Sauma Exchanges of TechnologiesExchanges of Technologies The Rise, Decline, Fall of Ming (China)The Rise, Decline, Fall of Ming (China) The Mughal Dynasty (India)The Mughal Dynasty (India) The Safavid and Qajar Dynasties (Persia)The Safavid and Qajar Dynasties (Persia) The Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire The Rise of Moscovy (Russian Empire)The Rise of Moscovy (Russian Empire)
WHAT ENDED THE AGE OF NOMADS? Firearms Standing Armies High-yield agriculture Strong, centralized bureaucracies Pandemics devastated nomads Acculturation Established religions Sea-borne trade
INTERNET LINKS THE ART OF THE SILK ROAD depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/ exhibit/index.shtml SILK ROAD ENCOUNTERS Resources/FEATURES/SilkRoad/ Intro.htm