History
of Civilizations of Central Asia, Volume 1: The Dawn of Civilization: Earliest
Times to 700 B.C./edited by A.H. Dani and V.M. Masson. Delhi, Motilal
Banarsidass, 2000, 535 p., plates, figs, $83
(Vol. I).
ISBN 81-208-1407-X
History
of Civilizations of Central Asia, Volume 1: The Dawn of Civilization: Earliest
Times to 700 B.C./edited by A.H. Dani and V.M. Masson. Delhi, Motilal
Banarsidass, 2000, 535 p., plates, figs, $83
(Vol. I).
ISBN 81-208-1407-X
Contents: Introduction/A.H. Dani and V.M. Masson. 1. The environment/V.M. Masson. 2. Lower palaeolithic cultures/V.A. Ranov, D. Dorj and Lu Zum -E.. 3. Middle palaeolithic culture/Bridget Allchin. 4. Upper palaeolithic cultures/A.P. Derevyanko and Lu Zun E. 5. Food producing and other Neolithic communities in Khorasan and Transoxania: eastern Iran, soviet Central Asia and Afghanistan/V. Sarianidi. 6. Food-producing communities in Pakistan and northern India/M. Sahrif and B.K. Thapar. 7. Neolithic communities in eastern parts of Central Asia/An Zhimin. 8. Neolithic tribes in northern parts of Central Asia/A.P. Derevyanko and D. Dorj. 9. The bronze age in Iran and Afghanistan/M. Tosi, S. Malek Shahmirzadi and M.A. Joyenda. 10. The bronze age in Khorasan and Transoxania/V.M. Masson. 11. Pre-Indus and early Indus cultures of Pakistan and India/J.G. Shaffer and B.K. Thapar. 12. The Indus Civilization/A.H. Dani and B.K. Thapar. 13. The bronze age in eastern parts of Central Asia/An Zhimin. 14. The decline of the bronze age civilization and movements of the tribes/V.M. Masson. 15. The emergence of the Indo-Iranians: the Indo-Iranian languages/J. Harmatta. 16. Pastrol tribes of the bronze age in the oxus valley (bactria)/B.A. Litvinsky and L.T. P’yankova. 17. Pastoral-agricultural tribes of Pakistan in the post-Indus period/A.H. Dani. 18. The painted grey ware culture of the iron age/B.B. Lal. 19. The beginning of the iron age in Transoxania/A. Askarov. 20. Pastoral and nomadic tribes at the beginning of the first millennium B.C./A. Askarov, V. Volkov and N. Ser-Odjav. Conclusion. Appendix. Bibliography and references. Index.
"Volume I of the History of Civilizations of Central Asia traces the history of man in this vast region from the Palaeolithic beginnings to circa 700 B.C. when the foundations for the formation of the great Achaemenian Empire were laid. The earliest history of man is evidenced by the discovery of Stone Age tools which are presented as part of the background of Peking Man, while the stage of food production is now abundantly represented from Turkmenistan and Tajikstan to the Indus Valley. Above all, the great civilization of the Bronze Age speaks of the first process of urbanization from the Indus to the Oxus and betokens intensive trading between the different areas. No less important is the story of the nomadic pastoral tribes, such as those of the Aryans, whose history can for the first time be seen in proper perspective on account of the archaeological evidence now available. Bringing forth new evidence and resolutely brushing aside redundant ideas, this volume skillfully presents the dawn of civilization in Central Asia." (jacket)
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