Please post any info here about Sogdia/Sogdiana, Samarkand, Bactria, and anything related. Particularly history, culture, language. This fringe region is shrouded in mystery, eclipsed and sandwiched between Persia and China, yet there is evidence of movement, paper trails, artefacts, that indicate possible travel from Israel, Syria/Persia, eastward into China, also south-east into Northern India.
There is living and documented evidence of movement/migration/assimilation into China, tracing back to time of the first Chinese Emperor and the confederation of clans along the Yellow River.
Dr David A. Law, From Samaria to Samarkand: The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, 1992, From Samaria to Samarkand: The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel by David A. Law
Blurb:
Many people have speculated on the destiny of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, which were carried away by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Even serious attempts to find remnants of the Ten Lost Tribes have never proved where they are now located. This book primarily shows evidence that the tribes went to Samarkand and that their descendants still live in that area. Samarkand has been called a mysterious, exotic, or grand city by different authors. However, little is known about its origin, name and people, even though it has existed for more than 2500 years and was a hub of the Great Silk Route from China and the Great Spice Route from India. The author noticed, after visiting the city in 1971, an amazing number of similarities between the people there and the tribes. This book will interest religious groups, biblical historians and historians of ancient history.
I'll try to organise sources under 'primary' and 'secondary' even though there's often a mix of both within the contents. i.e. commentary, analysis, bibliography of various historians, archaeologists, linguists, etc.
Primary Sources:
Sogdian Ancient Letter I & II, Ancient Letters | The Sogdians
In FIG. 3 Nicholas Sims-Williams (School of Oriental and African Studies) discusses the “Sogdian Ancient Letters.”
Sogdian Ancient Letter II, Sogdian Ancient Letter II · Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
Sogdian Ancient Letter III, Sogdian Ancient Letter III: Letter to Nanaidhat · Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
Sandalwood at Horyu-ji Temple in Nara, pre-761 CE, Sandal wood in the Horyuji Temple · Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
"These rare items are preserved in the treasury of the Horyu-ji Temple in Nara. According to ink inscriptions on the wood, these pieces had reached Japan at some point before 761 CE, (Yoshida, 1993, 256; Yajima, 1989, 137), and attest to the wide international network of Sogdian trade. ... There is evidence that Sogdian seafaring merchants based in Southeast Asia were involved in the Buddhist interactions between South Asia and China as much as on the mainland, and that Chinese Sogdians were involved in spreading the religion by the northern routes (Sen, 2014, 48). Two kinds of “Silk Road”, the overland and the maritime, coexisted for most of the first millennium AD, and in mercantile activities of both sets of travellers had a major role (Sen, 2014, 41). ... These sandalwoods could have arrived to Japan either by a combination of the overland and the sea roads, or else directly by ship from Sri Lanka or India."
NYU, Telling the Sogdian Story, Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
Other NYU search results under "sogdian": Search (59 total) · Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
Secondary Sources:
Iranica Online, SOGDIANA iii. HISTORY AND ARCHEOLOGY, Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica
The History Files, Far East Kingdoms - Central Asia, Kingdoms of Central Asia - Sogdiana / Samarkand
Joseph Naveh and Shaul Shaked, Aramaic Documents from Ancient Bactria
(Fourth Century BCE.), 2012,
Aramaic Documents from Ancient Bactria (Fourth Century BCE.)
Quote: "This is the first publication of a group of 30 documents on leather in Official Aramaic, dating to the 4th century bc and reflecting the practice of the Achaemenian administration in Bactria and Sogdiana..."
Reviewed Work: Les Sogdiens en Chine. Études thématiques 17 by ÉTIENNE DE LA VAISSIÈRE, ÉRIC TROMBERT, Review: [Untitled] on JSTOR
Valerie Hansen, THE SILK ROAD PROJECT REUNITING TURFAN'S SCATTERED TREASURES, 1999, THE SILK ROAD PROJECT REUNITING TURFAN'S SCATTERED TREASURES on JSTOR
Étienne de la Vaissière, Sogdians in China: A Short History and Some New Discoveries, Sogdians in China: A Short History and Some New Discoveries
Étienne de la Vaissière, 粟特商人史 (Chinese translation of Sogdian Traders), 2012,
粟特商人史 (Chinese translation of Sogdian Traders)
Times of Israel, Ancient and Unique Uzbekistan: Samarkand region II, 2021, Ancient and Unique Uzbekistan: Samarkand region II
Judith A. Lerner with Matthew Z. Dischner, THE (RE)DISCOVERY OF THE SOGDIANS: From Ancient Texts to 3D Scanning,
The (Re)discovery of the Sogdians | The Sogdians
Frantz Grenet et al, The Sogdian Ancient Letter V, The Sogdian Ancient Letter V on JSTOR
Qi Xiaoyan, Samarqand’s Cast Coinage from the Early Seventh to the Mid-Eighth Century AD: An Assessment Based on Chinese Sources and Numismatic Evidence, 2019, Samarqand’s Cast Coinage from the Early Seventh to the Mid-Eighth Century AD on JSTOR
Lucas Christopoulos, Hellenes and Romans in Ancient China (240 BC – 1398 AD), 2012, http://www.sino-platonic.org/complete/spp230_hellenes_romans_in_china.pdf
Quote: The independent kingdom of Bactria claimed by Diodotes gave rise to a distinctive culture that mixed Persian, Indian and Greek elements, and its later expansion eastward eventually had a great impact on the Chinese world. The Greco-Bactrians and their Hellenized Scythian troops reached China through the Tarim Basin and established colonies in its southern portion, along the northern range of the Himalayas. The eastern part of the Roman Empire then took the relay, thronged with travelers, embassies and traders reaching China through Sri Lanka, the Kushana Empire and India, following the Spice Road from Roman Egypt.
About the Hephtalites:
Étienne de la Vaissière, Is There a "Nationality of the Hephtalites"?, 2003, Is There a "Nationality of the Hephtalites"? on JSTOR
Quote: "This paper deals with the Chinese sources on the Hephtalites, showing that the oldest one was not fully analyzed. It demonstrates that the Hephtalites arrived in Central Asia in the fourth century and that there was only one wave of nomadic invasions. The Hephtalites should be regarded as a tribal and political confederation, and certainly not as a linguistic or ethnic one."
About Sakas:
According to Herodotus (IV.64): "The Sacae, or Scyths, were clad in trousers, and had on their heads tall stiff caps rising to a point. They bore the bow of their country and dagger; besides which they carried the battle axe, or sagaris. They were in truth Armygian (Western) Scythians, but the Persians called them Sacae, since that was the name which they gave to all Scythians."
Chinese Language Key:
* Trolls: This 'History & Genealogy' thread/section is not the place for theological argument/debate challenging intents and purposes. If you are genuinely interested however, I suggest reading the sources listed in light of promises/prophecies in Scripture. e.g. Ezekiel 37, Joel 3, Isaiah 49.
"Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all..." (Ezek 37:21-22)
"For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land." (Joel 3:1-2)
There is living and documented evidence of movement/migration/assimilation into China, tracing back to time of the first Chinese Emperor and the confederation of clans along the Yellow River.
Dr David A. Law, From Samaria to Samarkand: The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, 1992, From Samaria to Samarkand: The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel by David A. Law
Blurb:
Many people have speculated on the destiny of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, which were carried away by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Even serious attempts to find remnants of the Ten Lost Tribes have never proved where they are now located. This book primarily shows evidence that the tribes went to Samarkand and that their descendants still live in that area. Samarkand has been called a mysterious, exotic, or grand city by different authors. However, little is known about its origin, name and people, even though it has existed for more than 2500 years and was a hub of the Great Silk Route from China and the Great Spice Route from India. The author noticed, after visiting the city in 1971, an amazing number of similarities between the people there and the tribes. This book will interest religious groups, biblical historians and historians of ancient history.
I'll try to organise sources under 'primary' and 'secondary' even though there's often a mix of both within the contents. i.e. commentary, analysis, bibliography of various historians, archaeologists, linguists, etc.
Primary Sources:
Sogdian Ancient Letter I & II, Ancient Letters | The Sogdians
In FIG. 3 Nicholas Sims-Williams (School of Oriental and African Studies) discusses the “Sogdian Ancient Letters.”
Sogdian Ancient Letter II, Sogdian Ancient Letter II · Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
Sogdian Ancient Letter III, Sogdian Ancient Letter III: Letter to Nanaidhat · Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
Sandalwood at Horyu-ji Temple in Nara, pre-761 CE, Sandal wood in the Horyuji Temple · Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
"These rare items are preserved in the treasury of the Horyu-ji Temple in Nara. According to ink inscriptions on the wood, these pieces had reached Japan at some point before 761 CE, (Yoshida, 1993, 256; Yajima, 1989, 137), and attest to the wide international network of Sogdian trade. ... There is evidence that Sogdian seafaring merchants based in Southeast Asia were involved in the Buddhist interactions between South Asia and China as much as on the mainland, and that Chinese Sogdians were involved in spreading the religion by the northern routes (Sen, 2014, 48). Two kinds of “Silk Road”, the overland and the maritime, coexisted for most of the first millennium AD, and in mercantile activities of both sets of travellers had a major role (Sen, 2014, 41). ... These sandalwoods could have arrived to Japan either by a combination of the overland and the sea roads, or else directly by ship from Sri Lanka or India."
NYU, Telling the Sogdian Story, Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
Other NYU search results under "sogdian": Search (59 total) · Telling the Sogdian Story: A Freer|Sackler Digital Exhibition Project
Secondary Sources:
Iranica Online, SOGDIANA iii. HISTORY AND ARCHEOLOGY, Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica
The History Files, Far East Kingdoms - Central Asia, Kingdoms of Central Asia - Sogdiana / Samarkand
Joseph Naveh and Shaul Shaked, Aramaic Documents from Ancient Bactria
(Fourth Century BCE.), 2012,
Aramaic Documents from Ancient Bactria (Fourth Century BCE.)
Quote: "This is the first publication of a group of 30 documents on leather in Official Aramaic, dating to the 4th century bc and reflecting the practice of the Achaemenian administration in Bactria and Sogdiana..."
Reviewed Work: Les Sogdiens en Chine. Études thématiques 17 by ÉTIENNE DE LA VAISSIÈRE, ÉRIC TROMBERT, Review: [Untitled] on JSTOR
Valerie Hansen, THE SILK ROAD PROJECT REUNITING TURFAN'S SCATTERED TREASURES, 1999, THE SILK ROAD PROJECT REUNITING TURFAN'S SCATTERED TREASURES on JSTOR
Étienne de la Vaissière, Sogdians in China: A Short History and Some New Discoveries, Sogdians in China: A Short History and Some New Discoveries
Étienne de la Vaissière, 粟特商人史 (Chinese translation of Sogdian Traders), 2012,
粟特商人史 (Chinese translation of Sogdian Traders)
Times of Israel, Ancient and Unique Uzbekistan: Samarkand region II, 2021, Ancient and Unique Uzbekistan: Samarkand region II
Judith A. Lerner with Matthew Z. Dischner, THE (RE)DISCOVERY OF THE SOGDIANS: From Ancient Texts to 3D Scanning,
The (Re)discovery of the Sogdians | The Sogdians
Frantz Grenet et al, The Sogdian Ancient Letter V, The Sogdian Ancient Letter V on JSTOR
Qi Xiaoyan, Samarqand’s Cast Coinage from the Early Seventh to the Mid-Eighth Century AD: An Assessment Based on Chinese Sources and Numismatic Evidence, 2019, Samarqand’s Cast Coinage from the Early Seventh to the Mid-Eighth Century AD on JSTOR
Lucas Christopoulos, Hellenes and Romans in Ancient China (240 BC – 1398 AD), 2012, http://www.sino-platonic.org/complete/spp230_hellenes_romans_in_china.pdf
Quote: The independent kingdom of Bactria claimed by Diodotes gave rise to a distinctive culture that mixed Persian, Indian and Greek elements, and its later expansion eastward eventually had a great impact on the Chinese world. The Greco-Bactrians and their Hellenized Scythian troops reached China through the Tarim Basin and established colonies in its southern portion, along the northern range of the Himalayas. The eastern part of the Roman Empire then took the relay, thronged with travelers, embassies and traders reaching China through Sri Lanka, the Kushana Empire and India, following the Spice Road from Roman Egypt.
About the Hephtalites:
Étienne de la Vaissière, Is There a "Nationality of the Hephtalites"?, 2003, Is There a "Nationality of the Hephtalites"? on JSTOR
Quote: "This paper deals with the Chinese sources on the Hephtalites, showing that the oldest one was not fully analyzed. It demonstrates that the Hephtalites arrived in Central Asia in the fourth century and that there was only one wave of nomadic invasions. The Hephtalites should be regarded as a tribal and political confederation, and certainly not as a linguistic or ethnic one."
About Sakas:
According to Herodotus (IV.64): "The Sacae, or Scyths, were clad in trousers, and had on their heads tall stiff caps rising to a point. They bore the bow of their country and dagger; besides which they carried the battle axe, or sagaris. They were in truth Armygian (Western) Scythians, but the Persians called them Sacae, since that was the name which they gave to all Scythians."
Chinese Language Key:
- Dayuan (大宛 Dai Yuan) in Fergana
- Yuezhi (月氏 Yuet Si, later 月支) (the Kushans)
- Daxia (大夏 Dai Haa) Bactria
- Kangju (康居 Hong Geoi) the royal house is related to Yuezhi
- Anxi (安息 On Sik)(Arsacid territories)
- Tiaozhi (條支/条支 Tin Zi) (Seleucid Empire in Mesopotamia)
- Shendu (身毒 San Duk) (India)
- Wusun (烏孫 Wu Syun)
- Yutian or Khotan (于闐國 Jyu Tin Gwok)
- Yancai (奄蔡, Vast Steppe)(Yim Coi)
- Xiong Nu (匈奴)
* Trolls: This 'History & Genealogy' thread/section is not the place for theological argument/debate challenging intents and purposes. If you are genuinely interested however, I suggest reading the sources listed in light of promises/prophecies in Scripture. e.g. Ezekiel 37, Joel 3, Isaiah 49.
"Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all..." (Ezek 37:21-22)
"For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land." (Joel 3:1-2)
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