ENCOUNTERS

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ENCOUNTERS IN CENTRAL ASIA
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MODERN CENTRAL ASIA
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VEGETATION ZONES
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TOPOGRAPHY
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THE STEPPE
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THE STEPPE AND HUT
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THE DESERTS
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THE MOUNTAINS
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THE OASIS
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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

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NOMADIC ANIMALS
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NOMADIC WARRIOR
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INDO-EUROPEANS
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CHARIOT PEOPLES
INDO-EUROPEANS INDO-IRANIANS INDO-ARYANS THE
SHANG ?
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CYCLE OF CIVILIZATION
1. Nomads invade, conquer sedentary civilization
2. Nomads settled down, adopt many
aspects of conquered civilization.
4. Nomadic culture weakens, loses all
elements of old culture, falls to new
nomadic threat.
3. New syncretic culture thrives, reaches heights.
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1000 - 200 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
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PARTHIANS, KUSHANS
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SASSANIDS
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HAN DYNASTY
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THE HAN, ZHANG QIANS EMBASSIES, HORSES SILK
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THE SILK ROAD
There were many Silk Roads across Central Asia
beginning in China and ending on the shores of
the Eastern Mediterranean.
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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.
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RELIGIOUS EXCHANGES
SYNCRETISM
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INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGES
Trade and/or Tribute?
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INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGES
Art and Architecture
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THE XIONG-NU
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XIONG-NU, HUNS,BLACK WHITE HUNS
Tribute Empire Confederacy Hostages Political
Marriages Allies, Mercenaries Destroyed Rome,
India Invaded Sassanid Persia Threatened China,
Germans
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UIGHURS (TURKS)
The branches ruled in Mongolia, Inner Mongolia,
Sinkiang parts migrated into Kazakh steppes
river valleys called Sogdiana.

• Manichaen and Buddhist
• Supported merchants
• Developed art, literature
• Allies, Enemies, Saviors of Tang

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TURKSINCENTRALASIA
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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!
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TURKS IN SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST ASIA

• Seljuk Turks 9th c.
• Seljuk Turks invade Southwest Asia and defeat
  both the Abbassids and Byzantines.
• Create sultanates and military states rule as
  mercenaries throughout region.
• Khwarazm Empire 12th c.

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THE MONGOLS
Chinggis Khan ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Yuan
Dynasty (China, Mongolia) Golden Horde (Russia,
Ukraine) Ilkhanids (Persia, Iraq) Chagatayids
(Central Asia) Pax Mongolica
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EXTENT OF MONGOL EMPIRE
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EXCHANGES UNDER THE MONGOLS
Technology, Diseases, Peoples, Tribute
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TAMERLANE
Central Asia and Afghanistan -
devastating raids into
India, Persia,
Iraq, Caucasus Mts. and Turkey. Built
mounds of skulls following conquests and
sieges.
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RELATED TOPICS

• The Pandemic called the Black Death
• Travels of Polo, Ibn Battuta, Bar Sauma
• Exchanges of Technologies
• The Rise, Decline, Fall of Ming (China)
• The Mughal Dynasty (India)
• The Safavid and Qajar Dynasties (Persia)
• The Ottoman Empire
• The Rise of Moscovy (Russian Empire)

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WHAT ENDED THE AGE OF NOMADS?
Firearms Standing Armies High-yield
agriculture Strong, centralized
bureaucracies Pandemics devastated
nomads Acculturation Established
religions Sea-borne trade
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INTERNET LINKS
THE ART OF THE SILK ROAD depts.washington.edu/uwch
/silkroad/ exhibit/index.shtml SILK ROAD
ENCOUNTERS www.askasia.org/teachers/Instructional_
Resources/FEATURES/SilkRoad/ Intro.htm