Beyond Silk: the Arts along the “Silk Roads”

Catalog description

This course explores the art and cultural history along the expansive networks across Central Asia and East Asia from the turn of the common era to the tenth century. Case studies in the course cover vast geographical regions and reflect various media, including the hoard of Begram in Afghanistan, the murals of Panjakent in Tajikistan, the Mogao Caves in northwestern China, and the imperial treasury of Shōsō-in in Japan. We will investigate the complexity of cross-cultural exchange and the pluralism of identity by taking an interdisciplinary approach to diverse primary evidence, ranging from art and architecture, to ancient letters and travel accounts. Counts as an elective in the East Asian Studies major and minor. Satifies South Asian Studies minor requirement. Satisfies the Visual and Performing Arts requirement Satisfies the Cultural Diversity requirement