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Power Structures
Religion & Pilgrimage
Culture
Economics & Trade
Telling the Sogdian Story
The Sogdians were the middlemen of the
transcontinental trade known as the Silk Road, amassing great
wealth which financed a flowering civilization in their homeland, the area around Samarkand in present-day Uzbekistan. But they were
purveyors of culture to their imperial neighbours,
transporting craftsmen, artists, Buddhist monks, and others,
and introducing new artistic and religious ideas and contributing
to military and diplomatic affairs as far west as Europe and as far east as Japan from early as 550 BCE until approximately 1000 CE. Despite their remarkable
influence, the Sogdians remain an understudied and
underrepresented culture in the history of Eurasian Studies.
Timeline
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Power Structures
Religion & Pilgrimage
Culture
Economics & Trade
Telling the Sogdian Story
The Sogdians were the middlemen of the
transcontinental trade known as the Silk Road, amassing great
wealth which financed a flowering civilization in their homeland, the area around Samarkand in present-day Uzbekistan. But they were
purveyors of culture to their imperial neighbours,
transporting craftsmen, artists, Buddhist monks, and others,
and introducing new artistic and religious ideas and contributing
to military and diplomatic affairs as far west as Europe and as far east as Japan from early as 550 BCE until approximately 1000 CE. Despite their remarkable
influence, the Sogdians remain an understudied and
underrepresented culture in the history of Eurasian Studies.
Timeline
Home Explore About Search
Power Structures
Religion & Pilgrimage
Culture
Economics & Trade
Telling the Sogdian Story
The Sogdians were the middlemen of the
transcontinental trade known as the Silk Road, amassing great
wealth which financed a flowering civilization in their homeland, the area around Samarkand in present-day Uzbekistan. But they were
purveyors of culture to their imperial neighbours,
transporting craftsmen, artists, Buddhist monks, and others,
and introducing new artistic and religious ideas and contributing
to military and diplomatic affairs as far west as Europe and as far east as Japan from early as 550 BCE until approximately 1000 CE. Despite their remarkable
influence, the Sogdians remain an understudied and
underrepresented culture in the history of Eurasian Studies.
Timeline
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An Lushan Rebellion: A Turning Point in the Power Structure of the Tang Dynasty
An Lushan
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Flipping the history page to the Tang dynasty of China (618-907), it showed its richness regarding the economy, politics, cultures, and religions. A general, who was Sogdian of origin, launched a devastating rebellion against the Tang dynasty. His name is An Lushan.An Lushan was of Sogdian and Gokturks (the Old Turks) origin at least by adoption. He rose to prominence defending the northeastern border from the Khitan and other northern threats. He was then summoned to Chang’an, where the Tang capital was. When became the favor of Emperor Xuangzong of Tang (712-756), An Lushan was allowed to amass significant military power in northern China.
Emperor Ming-huang Fleed to Sichuang
An Lushan Rebellion: A Turning Point in the Power Structure of the Tang Dynasty
In 755, after the High Chancellor Li Linfu died, An Lushan came into conflict with Li’s replacement, Yang Guozhng, who was Yang Guifei’s cousin. Following eight or nine years of preparation, An Lushan rose in armed revolt and proclaimed himself to be the ruler of a new dynasty and as emperor of Yan, which was called An Lushan Rebellion or An Shi Revolt (755-763) in historical term. In 756, he took the capital of Chang’an and forced the Emperor to flee. In 757, An Lushan was murdered by his own son. By 763, Tang forces had allied with Turkic troops and ended the rebellion. What’s important is that the An Shi Revolt is regarded as the beginning of the downfall of the Tang dynasty.
An Lushan
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Flipping the history page to the Tang dynasty of China (618-907), it showed its richness regarding the economy, politics, cultures, and religions. A general, who was Sogdian of origin, launched a devastating rebellion against the Tang dynasty. His name is An Lushan.An Lushan was of Sogdian and Gokturks (the Old Turks) origin at least by adoption. He rose to prominence defending the northeastern border from the Khitan and other northern threats. He was then summoned to Chang’an, where the Tang capital was. When became the favor of Emperor Xuangzong of Tang (712-756), An Lushan was allowed to amass significant military power in northern China.
Emperor Ming-huang Fleed to Sichuang
An Lushan Rebellion: A Turning Point in the Power Structure of the Tang Dynasty
In 755, after the High Chancellor Li Linfu died, An Lushan came into conflict with Li’s replacement, Yang Guozhng, who was Yang Guifei’s cousin. Following eight or nine years of preparation, An Lushan rose in armed revolt and proclaimed himself to be the ruler of a new dynasty and as emperor of Yan, which was called An Lushan Rebellion or An Shi Revolt (755-763) in historical term. In 756, he took the capital of Chang’an and forced the Emperor to flee. In 757, An Lushan was murdered by his own son. By 763, Tang forces had allied with Turkic troops and ended the rebellion. What’s important is that the An Shi Revolt is regarded as the beginning of the downfall of the Tang dynasty.
Integrated Objects
Emperor Ming-huang Fleed to Sichuang
The history of An Lushan showed how the Sogdians were (or could be) positioned in the Tang society, just by the fact that him as a Chinese governor with significant military power, but was of Sogdian origin. Sogdians in China didn’t have to be just foreigners or merchants; they could actually be accepted by the society and the natives and hold significant amount of political power. Tang dynasty is a multicultural society, by looking at the objects and images in Tang from the Sogdians, the audience will be able to see how they lived in 7th to 10th century China.
(755-763) in historical term. In 756, he took the capital of Chang’an and forced the Emperor to flee. In 757, An Lushan was murdered by his own son. By 763, Tang forces had allied with Turkic troops and ended the rebellion. What’s important is that the An Shi Revolt is regarded as the beginning of the downfall of the Tang dynasty.
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An Lushan
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This ninth or tenth century silver bowl illustrates scenes from the Book of
Joshua and gives clues to Sogdian military architecture.
9th-10th centuryCast, engraved and gilded silver
Hermitage MuseumPresumably from the Nestorian
Milieu in 9-10th cent. SemirechÕe; Uzbekistan/Tajikistan
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as [etc., continued below
with scroll]
Home Explore About Search
This ninth or tenth century silver bowl illustrates scenes from the Book of
Joshua and gives clues to Sogdian military architecture.
9th-10th centuryCast, engraved and gilded silver
Hermitage MuseumPresumably from the Nestorian
Milieu in 9-10th cent. SemirechÕe; Uzbekistan/Tajikistan
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as [etc., continued below
with scroll]
Home Explore About SearchHome Explore About Search
This ninth or tenth century silver bowl illustrates scenes from the Book of
Joshua and gives clues to Sogdian military architecture.
9th-10th centuryCast, engraved and gilded silver
Hermitage MuseumPresumably from the Nestorian
Milieu in 9-10th cent. SemirechÕe; Uzbekistan/Tajikistan
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as [etc., continued below
with scroll]
Home Explore About SearchHome Explore About Search
Home Explore About Search
This ninth or tenth century silver bowl illustrates scenes from the Book of
Joshua and gives clues to Sogdian military architecture.
9th-10th centuryCast, engraved and gilded silver
Hermitage MuseumPresumably from the Nestorian
Milieu in 9-10th cent. SemirechÕe; Uzbekistan/Tajikistan
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as [etc., continued below
with scroll]
Home Explore About Search
This ninth or tenth century silver bowl illustrates scenes from the Book of
Joshua and gives clues to Sogdian military architecture.
9th-10th centuryCast, engraved and gilded silver
Hermitage MuseumPresumably from the Nestorian
Milieu in 9-10th cent. SemirechÕe; Uzbekistan/Tajikistan
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as the prostitute Rahab
looking out of the window (Joshua ii and vi). At the center of the plate, above the distinctive fortifications, seven priests
blowing ram’s horn trumpets flank a central figure carrying the Ark of the Covenant. (Joshua vi:6). The top of the plate features what has been identified as the taking of a city of
Canaan. The central figure on the battlements is identifiable by the sun and moon above. According to Joshua 10:12-13:
“Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and
he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had
avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”
Home Explore About SearchHome Explore About Search
This ninth or tenth century silver bowl illustrates scenes from the Book of
Joshua and gives clues to Sogdian military architecture.
9th-10th centuryCast, engraved and gilded silver
Hermitage MuseumPresumably from the Nestorian
Milieu in 9-10th cent. SemirechÕe; Uzbekistan/Tajikistan
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as the prostitute Rahab
looking out of the window (Joshua ii and vi). At the center of the plate, above the distinctive fortifications, seven priests
blowing ram’s horn trumpets flank a central figure carrying the Ark of the Covenant. (Joshua vi:6). The top of the plate features what has been identified as the taking of a city of
Canaan. The central figure on the battlements is identifiable by the sun and moon above. According to Joshua 10:12-13:
“Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and
he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had
avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”
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Additional images
Home Explore About Search
This ninth or tenth century silver bowl illustrates scenes from the Book of
Joshua and gives clues to Sogdian military architecture.
9th-10th centuryCast, engraved and gilded silver
Hermitage MuseumPresumably from the Nestorian
Milieu in 9-10th cent. SemirechÕe; Uzbekistan/Tajikistan
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as the prostitute Rahab
looking out of the window (Joshua ii and vi). At the center of the plate, above the distinctive fortifications, seven priests
blowing ram’s horn trumpets flank a central figure carrying the Ark of the Covenant. (Joshua vi:6). The top of the plate features what has been identified as the taking of a city of
Canaan. The central figure on the battlements is identifiable by the sun and moon above. According to Joshua 10:12-13:
“Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and
he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had
avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”
Home Explore About Search
Related themes
Home Explore About Search
This ninth or tenth century silver bowl illustrates scenes from the Book of
Joshua and gives clues to Sogdian military architecture.
9th-10th centuryCast, engraved and gilded silver
Hermitage MuseumPresumably from the Nestorian
Milieu in 9-10th cent. SemirechÕe; Uzbekistan/Tajikistan
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as the prostitute Rahab
looking out of the window (Joshua ii and vi). At the center of the plate, above the distinctive fortifications, seven priests
blowing ram’s horn trumpets flank a central figure carrying the Ark of the Covenant. (Joshua vi:6). The top of the plate features what has been identified as the taking of a city of
Canaan. The central figure on the battlements is identifiable by the sun and moon above. According to Joshua 10:12-13:
“Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and
he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had
avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”
Home Explore About SearchHome Explore About Search
This ninth or tenth century silver bowl illustrates scenes from the Book of
Joshua and gives clues to Sogdian military architecture.
9th-10th centuryCast, engraved and gilded silver
Hermitage MuseumPresumably from the Nestorian
Milieu in 9-10th cent. SemirechÕe; Uzbekistan/Tajikistan
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as the prostitute Rahab
looking out of the window (Joshua ii and vi). At the center of the plate, above the distinctive fortifications, seven priests
blowing ram’s horn trumpets flank a central figure carrying the Ark of the Covenant. (Joshua vi:6). The top of the plate features what has been identified as the taking of a city of
Canaan. The central figure on the battlements is identifiable by the sun and moon above. According to Joshua 10:12-13:
“Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and
he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had
avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”
While this plate evidently depicts Christian (or Jewish) imagery, it also resembles the Buddhist depiction of
Kushinagar, the city that housed the relics of the Buddha after his death.
The specific scenes on the dish seem to have been based on an earlier plate. The main decoration in relief, particularly the castle, is characteristic of the eighth century CE. The
initial composition is characteristic of a Sogdian craftsman in the Qarluq dominions. However, the battle dress of the warriors illustrates a combination of Sogdian and Turkic
elements, which points to a ninth or tenth century CE style, a craftsman working after the Arab occupation of Sogdiana
in 722 CE. The dish is therefore a ninth or tenth century artifact, based on an eighth century object, which was in turn based on an early biblical text. This continuum of
representation and influence illustrates the crossroads effect that permeates Sogdian art and material culture, in which multiple themes and stories from earlier or contemporary
cultures often recur in novel formats.
Related multimedia
Related multimedia
Home explore about searchHome Explore About Search
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as the prostitute Rahab
looking out of the window (Joshua ii and vi). At the center of the plate, above the distinctive fortifications, seven priests
blowing ram’s horn trumpets flank a central figure carrying the Ark of the Covenant. (Joshua vi:6). The top of the plate features what has been identified as the taking of a city of
Canaan. The central figure on the battlements is identifiable by the sun and moon above. According to Joshua 10:12-13:
“Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and
he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had
avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”
While this plate evidently depicts Christian (or Jewish) imagery, it also resembles the Buddhist depiction of
Kushinagar, the city that housed the relics of the Buddha after his death.
The specific scenes on the dish seem to have been based on an earlier plate. The main decoration in relief, particularly the castle, is characteristic of the eighth century CE. The
initial composition is characteristic of a Sogdian craftsman in the Qarluq dominions. However, the battle dress of the warriors illustrates a combination of Sogdian and Turkic
elements, which points to a ninth or tenth century CE style, a craftsman working after the Arab occupation of Sogdiana
in 722 CE. The dish is therefore a ninth or tenth century artifact, based on an eighth century object, which was in turn based on an early biblical text. This continuum of
representation and influence illustrates the crossroads effect that permeates Sogdian art and material culture, in which multiple themes and stories from earlier or contemporary
cultures often recur in novel formats.
Related multimedia
Related multimedia
Home Explore About SearchHome Explore About Search
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as the prostitute Rahab
looking out of the window (Joshua ii and vi). At the center of the plate, above the distinctive fortifications, seven priests
blowing ram’s horn trumpets flank a central figure carrying the Ark of the Covenant. (Joshua vi:6). The top of the plate features what has been identified as the taking of a city of
Canaan. The central figure on the battlements is identifiable by the sun and moon above. According to Joshua 10:12-13:
“Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and
he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had
avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”
While this plate evidently depicts Christian (or Jewish) imagery, it also resembles the Buddhist depiction of
Kushinagar, the city that housed the relics of the Buddha after his death.
The specific scenes on the dish seem to have been based on an earlier plate. The main decoration in relief, particularly the castle, is characteristic of the eighth century CE. The
initial composition is characteristic of a Sogdian craftsman in the Qarluq dominions. However, the battle dress of the warriors illustrates a combination of Sogdian and Turkic
elements, which points to a ninth or tenth century CE style, a craftsman working after the Arab occupation of Sogdiana
in 722 CE. The dish is therefore a ninth or tenth century artifact, based on an eighth century object, which was in turn based on an early biblical text. This continuum of
representation and influence illustrates the crossroads effect that permeates Sogdian art and material culture, in which multiple themes and stories from earlier or contemporary
cultures often recur in novel formats.
Related multimedia
Related multimedia
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Related objects
Home Explore About Search
This silver dish illustrates several scenes from the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament and Hebrew
Bible. At the bottom of the plate, there is the fortified city of Jericho, with a woman identified as the prostitute Rahab
looking out of the window (Joshua ii and vi). At the center of the plate, above the distinctive fortifications, seven priests
blowing ram’s horn trumpets flank a central figure carrying the Ark of the Covenant. (Joshua vi:6). The top of the plate features what has been identified as the taking of a city of
Canaan. The central figure on the battlements is identifiable by the sun and moon above. According to Joshua 10:12-13:
“Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and
he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had
avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”
While this plate evidently depicts Christian (or Jewish) imagery, it also resembles the Buddhist depiction of
Kushinagar, the city that housed the relics of the Buddha after his death.
The specific scenes on the dish seem to have been based on an earlier plate. The main decoration in relief, particularly the castle, is characteristic of the eighth century CE. The
initial composition is characteristic of a Sogdian craftsman in the Qarluq dominions. However, the battle dress of the warriors illustrates a combination of Sogdian and Turkic
elements, which points to a ninth or tenth century CE style, a craftsman working after the Arab occupation of Sogdiana
in 722 CE. The dish is therefore a ninth or tenth century artifact, based on an eighth century object, which was in turn based on an early biblical text. This continuum of
representation and influence illustrates the crossroads effect that permeates Sogdian art and material culture, in which multiple themes and stories from earlier or contemporary
cultures often recur in novel formats.
Related multimedia
Related multimedia
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Telling the Sogdian Story is the collaborative effort of three institutions: the Smithsonian Institute, Bard Graduate Center, and New York University.
● Email: [email protected]
Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world's largest museum and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research facilities.
For more information about the Smithsonian, visit www.si.edu
Contact UsEmail: [email protected] Bard Graduate Center is a graduate research institute located in
Manhattan’s Upper West Side Historic District. The Gallery exhibitions and publications, MA and PhD programs, and research initiatives explore new ways of thinking about decorative arts, design history, and material culture.
For more information about the Bard Graduate Center, visit www.bgc.bard.edu
Home Explore About Search
Home Explore About Search
[email protected] Bard Graduate Center is a graduate research institute located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side Historic District. The Gallery exhibitions and publications, MA and PhD programs, and research initiatives explore new ways of thinking about decorative arts, design history, and material culture.
For more information about the Bard Graduate Center, visit www.bgc.bard.edu
New York University’s mission is to be a top quality international center of scholarship, teaching and research. This involves retaining and attracting outstanding faculty who are leaders in their fields, encouraging them to create programs that draw outstanding students, and providing an intellectually rich environment. NYU seeks to take academic and cultural advantage of its location and to embrace diversity among faculty, staff and students to ensure a wide range of perspectives, including international perspectives, in the educational experience.
For more information about New York University, visit www.nyu.edu
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Home Explore About Search
Bard Graduate Center is a graduate research institute located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side Historic District. The Gallery exhibitions and publications, MA and PhD programs, and research initiatives explore new ways of thinking about decorative arts, design history, and material culture.
For more information about the Bard Graduate Center, visit www.bgc.bard.edu
New York University’s mission is to be a top quality international center of scholarship, teaching and research. This involves retaining and attracting outstanding faculty who are leaders in their fields, encouraging them to create programs that draw outstanding students, and providing an intellectually rich environment. NYU seeks to take academic and cultural advantage of its location and to embrace diversity among faculty, staff and students to ensure a wide range of perspectives, including international perspectives, in the educational experience.
For more information about New York University, visit nyu.edu
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