History of Civilizations of Central Asia

Readers will discover through this six-volume work cultures that flourished and vanished from the dawn of civilization to the present time and how the historyof the ancient and medieval world was shaped by the movements of peoples in this heartland of Eurasia, stretching from the Caspian Sea to the borders of China. The publication schedule is as follows: Volumes I, II, III, IV (Part I) and (Part 2) and volume V are available, volume VI is foreseen for end 2003. Based on a wealth of archaeological materials and written by a distinguished team of specialists, Volume I studies the origins of humankind and culture in Central Asia, from the Palacolithic beginnings to circa 700 B.C., when the foundations were laid for the constitution of the great Achaemenid Empire. The Bronze Age witnessed the beginnings of urbanization from the Indus to the Oxus, along with intensive trading. No less important are the nomadic pastoral tribes, such as the Aryans, whose history is seen in the light of recent archaeological research.Dani, A. H. is the author of 'History of Civilizations of Central Asia', published 1993 under ISBN 9789231027192 and ISBN 9231027190.