The CD-Rom: companion to the DVD The CD-Rom presents a complete history of western Asia with poetry, visual arts, and commentary on the music—all integrated with a fascinating philosophical background that illuminates the many subtle facets of this culture. It is essential reading for understanding this complex and important region.
This concise history of the western Silk Road can be read in an hour or two.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction Sufism - music and visual arts Early history - ancient Persia Zoroastrianism Islam Islamic Art Representational Art Calligraphy
The Arab Invasions and the Early Islamic Dynasties in the East The Abbasids The Samanid dynasty of Bukhara The Ghaznavids Persian poetry - Farrokhi Persian literature - Firdausi Persian painting and lyric poetry Arab literature The Great Seljuk State
The Mongol Invasions, the Ottomans, and the Safavids The Mongol Invasions The Ilkhanids of Persia The Ottoman Empire The Persian Safavids
Central Asia - Samarqand Historical rulers and ethnic groups The Timurids in Samarqand The Timurids in Herat The Timurid heirs
Central Asia - Bukhara
Appendices Origins of the Silk Road in the ancient world The pre-Islamic Persian empires Early Aryan and Turkic migrations from Central Asia Timeline: Persian/Islamic history from the 7th century to the 18th century Western Asia after the Silk Road The Safavids, the Zands, and the Qajars of Iran The decline of the Ottomans Silk Road cities of western Asia Historical geographic terms Architectural terms Styles of calligraphy
Silk Road Map with Historical Names Relief Map with Silk Road Cities