Archaeology of Central Asia - AKA500117

• Title: Archaeology of Central Asia
• Guaranteed by: Institute for Classical Archeology (21-UKAR)
• Faculty: Faculty of Arts
• Actual: from 2024
• Semester: summer
• Points: 0
• E-Credits: 5
• Examination process: summer s.:
• Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: 25 / unknown (unknown)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment; can be fulfilled in the future
• Guarantor: doc. PhDr. Ladislav Stančo, Ph.D.
• Teacher(s): doc. PhDr. Ladislav Stančo, Ph.D.

Annotation

The main objective of the course is to acquaint students with the prehistoric and early historical cultures and civilizations of Central Asia, emphasizing the region’s broader connections to the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The course begins with an introduction to the geographic characteristics of the area. It then proceeds to a chronological overview of key periods, starting with a brief introduction to Palaeolithic and Neolithic developments, followed by a more detailed examination of Bronze and Iron Age cultures (Gonur, BMAC, Yaz). Particular attention will be given to analyzing the impact of the Greek-Macedonian intervention on the development of Central Asia, brought about by Alexander the Great’s campaign. The Hellenistic and Kushan periods will be explored from both historical and archaeological perspectives, with a focus on material culture, art, architecture, and numismatics.

Last update: Stančo Ladislav, doc. PhDr., Ph.D. (18.02.2025)

Literature

• Bopearachchi, O.: Monnaies gréco-bactriennes et indo-grécques. Cataloque raisonné. Paris 1991.
• Lyonnet, B., & Dubova, N. (Eds.). 2020: The World of the Oxus Civilization (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315193359
• Lhuillier, J. – Boroffka, N. (eds.) 2018: A Millennium of History. The Iron Age in southern Central Asia (2nd and 1st Millennia BC). Dedicated to the memory of Viktor Ivanovič Sarianidi. Proceedings of the conference held in Berlin (June 23-25, 2014). Archäologie in Iran und Turan, Band 17, 171-188.
• Mairs, R.  2014: Hellenistic Far East. UCP.
• Mairs, R. (Ed.). 2020: The Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek World (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315108513
• Parzinger, H.: Die Skythen. München 2004.
• Stančo, L.: Greek Gods in the East. Prague 2012.
• Staviskij, B. Ja.: La Bactriane sous les Kushans. Problèmes d´histoire et de culture. Paris 1986.
• Xin Wu 2020: Central Asia in the Achaemenid period. In Mairs, R. (ed.), Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek world. London. 595-618.
• Im Zeichen des Goldenen Greifen. Königsgräber der Skythen. Katalog výstavy. München, Berlin, London, New York. 2007.

Further reading will be recommended in individual lectures. Full versions of the PPT presentations from the lectures will be made available to students.

Last update: Stančo Ladislav, doc. PhDr., Ph.D. (18.02.2025)

Syllabus

•01 Where we are and why? Geography of Central Asia  18/02/25

•02 Prehistory of Central Asia  25/02/25

•03 Between India and Mesopotamia: Central Asia in the Bronze Age  04/03/25

•04 Down and up: Iron Age of southern Central Asia, Yaz culture and rise of Achaemenids  11/03/25

•05 Altai matters: Scythians of Eurasian steppe belt  18/03/25

•06 Alexander's campaign and its consequences  25/03/25

•07 Hellenism in Central Asia: Seleucids, the Greco-Bactrian kingdom, archaeology and art  01/04/25

•08 Far beyond a desert: Ancient Khorasmia  08/04/25

•09 Archaeology and Art of the Kushan Empire I  15/04/25

•10 Archaeology and Art of the Kushan Empire II  22/04/25

•11 Gandharan art: Hellenistic influences in Central Asia and beyond  29/04/25

•12 Long-distance trade routes: why not to speak about Silk Road?  06/05/25

•13 Results of the Czech-Uzbekistani archaeological expedition  13/05/22

Last update: Stančo Ladislav, doc. PhDr., Ph.D. (18.02.2025)