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Travelers & Explorers in Central Asia - Select Bibliography

Sample of Sources on Travel Writing:

1. Adams, Percy G. Travel Literature and the Evolution of the Novel (Lexington, Ky.: University Pressof Kentucky, 1983). [Esp. chapter 3]2. Blanton, Casey. Travel Writing: the Self and the World (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1997).[Chapter 1: Narrating Self and Other: A Historical Overview]3. Campbell, Mary. The Witness and the Other World: Exotic European Travel Writing, 400-1600(Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1988). [Chapter 3 concerns merchant and missionary travels during the“Mongol Peace,” and Chapter 4 - Sir John Mandeville]4. Cronin, Michael. Across the Lines: Travel, Language, Translation (Cork, Ireland: Cork UniversityPress, 2000).5. The Art of Travel: Essays in Travel Writing, edited by Philip Dodd [esp. Essay by Jenny Mezciems]5. Travel Literature through the Ages: An Anthology, collected and edited by Percy G. Adams (NewYork: Garland, 1988).6. Voyagers and Visions: Towards a Cultural History of Travel, edited by J. Elsner and J. P. Rubis(London: Reaktion Books, 1999). [Their introduction is instructive]

Pre-Mongol Central Asia:A. Hsuan Tsang: 1. Buddhist records of the Western World, translated by Samuel Beal (London: Trbner & Co., 1884).2. Mirsky, Jeannette. The Great Chinese Travelers, an Anthology (New York: Pantheon Books, 1964).3. Strassberg, Richard E. Inscribed Landscapes: Travel Writing from Imperial China (Univ. of Calif.Press, 1994).

B. The Arab and Muslim geographers and travelers:Primary Sources:1. Hudud al-Alam: Hudud al-Alam = “The Regions of the World”: A Persian Geography, 372 A.H. -982 A.D., tr. by V. Minorsky, preface by Bartold (London: Luzak, 1937).2. McKeithen, James E. The Risalah of Ibn Fadlan: an Annotated Translation and Introduction,unpublished Ph.D dissertation (Indiana University, 1979).3. Martinez, P. “Gardizi's Two Chapters on the Turks,” Archivum Eurasiae Medii Aevi 2 (1982), pp.109-217. [see also, “Gardizi on the History of Central Asia,” Acta Orientalia Hungariae 27 (1973)]4. Marvazi. Sharaf al-Zaman Tahir Marvazi on China, the Turks and India, tr. by V. Minorsky(London: The Royal Asiatic Society, 1942). 5. al-Masudi. Meadows of Gold and Mines of Gems, tr. by Aloys Sprenger (London: Allen, 1841). [Seealso, Al-Masudi: Millenary Commemoration Volume (Aligarh, 1960)]6. Minorsky, V. “Tamim ibn Bahr's Journey to the Uyghurs,” BSOAS 12/2 (1948), pp. 275-305.7. al-Muqaddasi, Muhammad ibn Ahmad. The Best Divisions for Knowledge of the Regions: a

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Translation of Ahsan al-taqasim fi ma`rifat al-aqalim, translated by Basil Anthony Collins (Reading,UK: Centre for Muslim Contribution to Civilization: Garnet Publishing, 1994).

Secondary Sources:1. Arnold, T. W. “Arab Travellers and Merchants, A.D. 1000-1500,” in Travel and Travellers of theMiddle Ages, edited by Arthur Percival Newton (London, 1926), pp. 88-103. 2. “Djughrafiya,” in Encyclopedia of Islam, 2nd Edition, vol. II, pp. 575-587. 3. Dunlop, D. M. The History of the Jewish Khazars (New York: Schocken Books, 1967. [Containingthe account of al-Istakhri, and others]4. Gellens, S. I. “The Search for Knowledge in Medieval Muslim Societies: A Comparative Approach,”in Muslim Travellers: Pilgrimage, Migration, and the Religious Imagination, edited by Dale F.Eickelman and James Piscatori (New York: Routledge, 1990), pp. 50-65.5. Levanon, Y. The Jewish Travelers in the Twelfth Century (Lanham, MD: University Press ofAmerica, 1980).6. “The Geographical Setting,” in The Cambridge History of Islam pp. 443-468

The Mongol Period:Primary Sources:1. Bretschneider, E. Mediaeval Researches from Eastern Asiatic Sources, Vol. I (NY: Barnes andNoble, 1967; repr. of 1888 ed.), [Yeh-lu Ch'u-Ts'ai, Wu-ku-sun Chung tuan, K'iu Ch'ang Ch'un and Lichi ch'ang]2. Mission to Asia: Narratives and Letters of the Franciscan Missionaries in Mongolia and Chinain the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries, edited by Christopher Dawson (London: Sheed and Ward,1980). [Plano de Carpini, Rubruck, Benedict the Pole, John of Monte Corvino] 3. The Mission of Friar William of Rubruck: His Journey to the Court of the Great Khan Mngke,1253-1255, tr. by Peter Jackson (London: The Hakluyt Society, 1990).4. The travels of an Alchemist; the Journey of the Taoist, Ch'ang-Ch'un, from China to theHindukush at the Summons of Chingiz Khan, Recorded by His Disciple, Li Chih-Ch'ang, translatedby Arthur Waley (London: G. Routledge & Sons, 1931). [See also, J. Mirsky, The Great ChineseTravelers]Marco Polo1. Marco Polo. The Travels, tr. by Ronald Latham (Harmondsworth, etc.,1958).2. Humble, Richard. Marco Polo (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1975).3. Olschki, Leonardo. Marco Polo's Precursors (New York, Octagon Books, 1972). 4. Olschky, Leonardo. Marco Polo's Asia: An Introduction to His "Description of the World" Called“Il Milione” (Berkeley and L.A., 1960).5. Wood, Frances. Did Marco Polo go to China? (London: Secker & Warburg, 1995).Ibn Battuta1. Ibn Batuta. The travels of Ibn Battuta to Central Asia, edited by I. N. Ibrahimovich (Reading [UK]:Ithaca Press, 1999).

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2. Travels of Ibn Battuta, A.D. 1325-1354, trans. by H. A. R. Gibb (Cambridge: Published for theHakluyt Society at the University Press, 1958-2000. [Works issued by the Hakluyt Society, 2nd ser., no.110, 117, 141, 178, 190]3. Ross, E. Dunn. The Adventures of Ibn Battuta: A Muslim Traveler of the 14th Century (Berkeley,etc., 1986; PB ed., 1989). [Esp. chapt. 8, pp. 159-183]

Sir John Mandeville1. Higgins, Iain Macleod. Writing East: the “Travels” of Sir John Mandeville (Philadelphia : Universityof Pennsylvania Press, 1997).2. Seymour, M. C. (Michael C.), Sir John Mandeville (1993)3. The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, edited and translated by C. W. R. D. Moseley (1983).

More Secondary Sources:1. Campbell, Mary. The Witness and the Other World: Exotic European Travel Writing, 400-1600(Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1988). [Chapters 3 & 4]2. Gosman, Martin. "Marco Polo," Travel Fact and Travel Fiction (1994)3. Jackson, Peter. "Rubruck" Travel Fact and Travel Fiction (1994)4. Phillips, J. R. S. The Medieval Expansion of Europe (Oxford; New York: Clarendon Press, 1998).[chapters 4-7]5. Power, Eileen. “The Opening of the Land Routes to Cathay,”in Travel and Travellers of the MiddleAges, pp. 124-158.

Timur and the Timurids:1. Hecker, Felicia J. “A Fifteenth-Century Chinese Diplomat in Herat,” Journal of the Royal AsiaticSociety, 3rd ser., 3/1 (1993), 85-98.(2.) Nikitin, Afanasii. “Afanasii Nikitin's Journey Across Three Seas,” tr. by Serge A. Zenkovsky in hisMedieval Russia's Epics, Chronicles, and Tales (New York, 1974), 333-353.3. Rossabi, Morris. “A Translation of Ch'en Ch'eng's Hsi-y fan-kuo chih,” Ming Studies, 17 (Fall 1983),49-59.4. Ruy Gonzlez de Clavijo. Embassy to Tamerlane, 1403-1406, translated by Guy Le Strange (London:G. Routledge, 1928).5. Schiltberger, Johannes. The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, inEurope, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427 (New York: B. Franklin, 1970). [Hakluyt Society no. 58]

Early Uzbek PeriodA. Seyd Ali Reis. The Travels and Adventures of the Turkish Admiral Sidi Ali Reis in India,Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Persia, during the Years 1553-1556, tr. by A. Vambery (London:Luzac, 1889).B. Anthony Jenkinson:1. Early voyages and travels to Russia and Persia, by Anthony Jenkinson and other Englishmen,edited by E. Delmar Morgan and C. H. Coote (New York: B. Franklin, 1967). [Works issued by the

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Hakluyt Society, no. 72-73]2. Dulles, Foster Rhea. Eastward Ho!: The First English Adventurers to the Orient (London: JohnLane, 1931).

Middle Uzbek Period:1. Abd al-Karim al-Kashmiri. The Memoirs of Khojek Abdulkurreem... who accompanied Nadir Shah,on his return from Hindostan to Persia, tr. by Francis Gladwin (Calcutta: W. Mackay, 1778). 2. DiCosmo, Nicola. “A Russian Envoy to Khiva: the Italian Diary of Florio Benneveni,” PIAC 28 (July, 1985),pp. 73-114.

3. Hanway, Jonas. An historical account of the British trade over the Caspian Sea: with a journalof travels from London through Russia into Persia, and back again through Russia, Germany andHolland (London, 1753). [Thomson & Hogg] 4. Mikhailov, Vasilii. Adventures of Michailow: a Russian captive among the Kalmucs, written byhimself (Bloomington, Indiana: Mongolia Society, 1996).5. Pistoso, Maurizio. "The mission of Florio Beneveni to Persia and Central Asia (1719-1725)," in Bulletinof Turkish Studies, XX, (1994), n. 2. 3.

Late Uzbek Period:1. Abbott, James. Narrative of a Journey from Heraut to Khiva, Moscow, and St. Petersburgh,during the late Russian Invasion of Khiva, with some account of the court of Khiva and the kingdomof Khaurism (London: W. H. Allen, 1884).2. Atkinson, Thomas Witlam. Oriental and western Siberia: a narrative of seven years' explorationsand adventures in Siberia, Mongolia the Kirghis steppes, Chinese Tartary, and part of Central Asia(London: Hurst and Blackett, 1858).3. Burnes, Alexander. Travels into Bukhara: Being an Account of a Journey from India to Cabool,Tartary and Persia (Philadelphia: Carey & Hart, 1835).4. Conolly, Arthur. Journey to the North of India, overland from England, through Russia, Persia,and Affghaunistaun (London: R. Bentley, 1834).5. Ferrier, J. P. Caravan journeys and wanderings in Persia, Afghanistan, Turkistan, andBeloochistan (London, J. Murray, 1856).6. Khanykov, N. V. Bokhara; Its Amir and Its People. Translated from Russian by the Baron ClementA. de Bode, London: J. Madden, 1845.7. Meiendorf, Yegor Fiodorovich. Journey of the Russian mission from Orenbourg to Bokhara,translated by Colonel Monteith (Madras: Spectator Press, 1840).8. Muravyov, Nikolay. Journey to Khiva: through the Turkoman country (London: Oguz Press, 1977).9. Russian Missions into the Interior of Asia (London: R. Phillips, 1823). [including Nazaroff,Eversmann, and Muraviev]10. Shaw, Robert. Visits to high Tartary, Yarkand, and Kashgar (Hong Kong; New York : OxfordUniversity Press, 1984. [Reprint. Originally published: London : J. Murray, 1871].

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11. Stirling, Edward Hamilton. The journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afganistan 1828-1829,edited by Jonathan L. Lee (Naples: Istituto Universitario Orientale, Dipartimento di Studi Asiatici ; Rome: Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente, 1991).12. The Country of the Turkomans: An Anthology of Exploration from the Royal GeographicalSociety (London: Oguz Press, 1977).13. Vambery, A. Travels in Central Asia. London, 1864; New York: Arno Press, 1970.14. Wolff, Joseph. Narrative of a mission to Bokhara (New York, Arno Press, 1970). [Reprint of the1845 ed., published under title: Narrative of a mission to Bokhara, in the years 1843-1845, to ascertainthe fate of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly].

Under Russian Rule:1. Burnaby, Fred. A ride to Khiva : travels and adventures in Central Asia (London : CenturyPublishing : Gentry Books Limited, 1983. [Reprint of the 1877 ed.]2. Hedin, Sven. Through Asia (London : Methuen & Co., 1899).3. Lansdell, H. Russian Central Asia, including Kuldja, Bokhara, Khiva and Merv (London: S. Low,Marston, Searle and Rivington, 1885).4. MacGahan, J.A. Campaigning on the Oxus, and the Fall of Khiva (London: Sampson Low etc.,1874).5. O'Donovan, Edmund. The Merv Oasis (New York, Arno Press, 1970). [Reprint of the 1882 ed.]6. Schuyler, Eugene. Turkistan: Notes on a Journey in Russian Turkistan, Khokand, Bukhara, andKhiva (New York: Scribner, Armstrong & Co., 1877), 2 v.

20th Century Travel:1. Byron, Robert. The road to Oxiana (London: Picador, 1994) [Originally published: London :Macmillan, 1937.]2. Christie, Ella R. Through Khiva to golden Samarkand; the remarkable story of a woman'sadventurous journey alone through the deserts of Central Asia to the heart of Turkestan (London,1925).3. Fleming, Peter. News from Tartary: a journey from Peking to Kashmir (New York: C. Scribner'ssons, 1936).4. Hopkirk, Kathleen. A traveller's companion to central Asia (London: John Murray, 1993).5. Maillart, Ella. Turkestan solo : one woman's expedition from the Tien Shan to the Kizil Kum(London; Toronto, 1985. [Originally published: London: Putnam, 1934).6. Meakin, Annette M. B. In Russian Turkestan; a garden of Asia and its people (London: G. Allen,1903).7. Moorhouse, Geoffrey. Apples in the snow: a journey to Samarkand (London: Hodder & Stoughton,1990).8. Nazarov, Pavel Stepanovich. Hunted through Central Asia (Edinburgh, Blackwood, 1932).9. Olufsen, Ole. The emir of Bokhara and his country (Copenhagen, Gyldendal, Nordisk forlag, 1911.10. Stein, Aurel. On ancient Central-Asian tracks; brief narrative of three expeditions in innermostAsia and northwestern China (New York: Pantheon Books [1964]

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11. Thubron, Colin. The lost heart of Asia (London: Heinemann, 1994).