This book invites readers on a journey through time, to explore the
multifaceted history of Central Asia. Through transcontinental passages
such as the Silk Road, the book provides links among the major
civilizations of China, India, Persia, and the Mediterranean, which in
turn influences the characteristics of the region and beyond. For over
seven thousand years, Central Asian residents have left a record of
distinguished cultural artifacts. Like creators and innovators of any
age or period, they sought to respond as creatively as possible to the
necessities of their societies as a whole, and those of their individual
patrons. In doing so they have given us a timeless source through which
we can detect the dynamic stages of their creativity throughout history,
as well as the breadth of our own rich cultural and artistic heritage.