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The Kakrak Valley is one of three former centres of Budddhist activity in the Koh-i-Baba mountains of central Afghanistan, along with the Bamiyan Valley itself and the nearby Foladi Valley. About 100 caves and niches are cut into the low cliffs and hills here on the east side of the valley where it meets the main Bamiyan Valley. The large niche, 7m high, contained a statue of a sitting Buddha until it was destroyed by the Taliban authorities in 2001.<br/><br/> A sanctuary close to the niche, thought to be Sassanian, once contained brilliant wall paintings. The niches and sanctuary are believed to date stylistically from the 6th-7th centuries CE (Late Sassanian) and architecturally from the 9th-13th centuries CE (Turk /pre-Mongol Islamic).
Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdallah or Muhammad 'al-Imam' was the son of Ali ibn Abdallah ibn al-'Abbas and grandson of al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, the uncle of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.<br/><br/> His tomb was destroyed destroyed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in June2015.
Buddhism in the Maldives was the predominant religion at least until the 12th century CE. It is not clear how Buddhism was introduced into the islands although there are a number of competing theories. The predominant view is that it was introduced with the expansion of the Sinhalese people from neighboring Sri Lanka who are primarily Buddhist.<br/><br/> In February 2012, a group of Islamic extremists forced their way into the National Museum in Male and attacked the museum's collection of pre-Islamic sculptures, destroying or severely damaging nearly the entire collection about thirty Hindu and Buddhist sculptures dating from the 6th to 12th centuries.<br/><br/> Museum staff indicated that as the sculptures were made from very brittle coral or limestone it would be impossible to repair most of them, and only two or three pieces were in a repairable condition.
Buddhism was transmitted to Korea via China in the late 4th century CE. Little evidence of religious art exists in Korea before the introduction of Buddhism. Subsequent to its introduction, the religion inspired the production of devotional art as well as the beginnings of sophisticated temple architecture.<br/><br/> Images of the Buddha were probably first imported by monks sent from China and the Buddhist sculpture of Korea is indebted to prototypes developed in India, Central Asia, and China. From these influences, a distinctive Korean style formed. Korean Buddhas typically exhibit Korean facial characteristics, were made with native casting and carving techniques, and employed only some of the motifs that were developed earlier in Buddhist art.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
The Dharmachakra (Sanskrit: धर्मचक्र; Pāli: Dhammacakka; Tibetan: འཀོར་ལོ། (chos kyi 'khor lo); Chinese: 法輪; pinyin: fălún), lit. 'Wheel of Dharma' or 'Wheel of Law' is a symbol that has represented dharma, the Buddha's teaching of the path to enlightenment, since the early period of Indian Buddhism. A similar symbol is also in use in Jainism. It is one of the Ashtamangala symbols.<br/><br/> Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
Si Thep, also Sri Thep, (7th – 14th century CE) is an ancient ruined town in Northeast Thailand. Many architectural structures still remain to indicate its past prosperity. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati Kingdom in the central plain basin of Thailand and the Khmer Kingdom in the Northeast.<br/><br/> A twin- city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are architectural by nature such as elaborate lintels and sema stones. A few of the human skeletons discovered are still adorned with ornamental pieces.
The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are 31 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka.<br/><br/> The caves were built in two phases starting around 200 BCE, with the second group of caves built around 600 CE. Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, just outside the village of Ajinṭhā in Aurangabad district.
Arjuna's Penance (also known as 'Descent of the Ganges') is a giant rock cut relief depicting many semi-divine and divine creatures as well as deities and some very naturalistic depictions of animals. It dates from the 7th century CE.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Arjuna's Penance (also known as 'Descent of the Ganges') is a giant rock cut relief depicting many semi-divine and divine creatures as well as deities and some very naturalistic depictions of animals. It dates from the 7th century CE.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Arjuna's Penance (also known as 'Descent of the Ganges') is a giant rock cut relief depicting many semi-divine and divine creatures as well as deities and some very naturalistic depictions of animals. It dates from the 7th century CE.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Arjuna's Penance (also known as 'Descent of the Ganges') is a giant rock cut relief depicting many semi-divine and divine creatures as well as deities and some very naturalistic depictions of animals. It dates from the 7th century CE.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province.<br/><br/> Along with Baekje and Silla, Goguryeo was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Goguryeo was an active participant in the power struggle for control of the Korean peninsula as well as associated with the foreign affairs of neighboring polities in China and Japan.<br/><br/> The Samguk Sagi, a 12th century CE Goryeo text, indicates that Goguryeo was founded in 37 BC by Jumong, a prince from Buyeo, although there is archaeological and textual evidence that suggests Goguryeo culture was in existence since the 2nd century BCE around the fall of Gojoseon, an earlier kingdom that also occupied southern Manchuria and northern Korea.<br/><br/> Goguryeo was a major dynasty in Northeast Asia, until it was defeated by a Silla-Tang alliance in 668 CE. After its defeat, its territory was divided among the Unified Silla, Balhae, and Tang dynasty.<br/><br/> Goguryeo changed its name into Goryeo (Koryŏ) during the reign of King Jangsu, and such name was succeeded by Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), from which the English word "Korea" stemmed.
Gaochang (Qara-hoja in Uyghur) is located in present-day Xinjiang Province, 30 km from Turpan. The site is also known in early published reports as Chotscho, Khocho, or Qočo. The archaeological remains are just outside the town at a place originally called Idykut-schari or Idikutschari by local residents.<br/><br/> Artistic monuments of the city have been published by Albert von Le Coq. Gaochang was built in the 1st century BCE, it was an important site along the Silk Road. It played a key role as a transportation hub in western China. There is some documented history surviving today, perhaps stories passed on through oral tradition exist to detail the history. It was burnt down in wars in the 14th century. Old palace ruins and inside and outside cities can still be seen today.
Joel (Hebrew: יואל‎) was a prophet of ancient Israel, the second of the twelve minor prophets and the author of the Book of Joel. He is mentioned by name only once in the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament, in the introduction to his own brief book, as the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1).<br/><br/> The dates of his life are unknown; he may have lived anywhere from the 9th century BCE to the 5th century BCE, depending on the dating of his book. The book's mention of Greeks has not given scholars any help in dating the text since the Greeks were known to have had access to Judah from Mycenaean times. However, the book's mention of Judah's suffering and to the standing temple has led some scholars to place the date of the book in the post-exilic period, after the construction of the Second Temple. Joel was originally from Judah / Judea, and, judging from its prominence in his prophecy, was quite possibly a prophet associated with the ritual of the Jerusalem temple.
The Takamatsuzuka Tomb (Takamatsuzuka Kofun or 'Tall Pine Tree Ancient Burial Mound' is an ancient circular tomb in Asuka village, Nara prefecture, Japan. Dating from the 6th-7th century CE, it contains painted fresco wall paintings of courtiers in Goguryeo-style garb.<br/><br/> The paintings are in full color with red, blue, gold, and silver foil representing four male followers and four abigails together with the Azure Dragon, Black Tortoise, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird groups of stars. The paintings are designated as a national treasure of Japan. For whom the tomb was built is unknown, but the decorations suggest it is for a member of the Japanese royal family or a high-ranking nobleman.
A single leaf (measuring 35.5 x 27.5 cm) of what is said to be a Hijazi Qur'an and to date from the second half of the 7th century CE. Recto.
The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are 31 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka.<br/><br/> The caves were built in two phases starting around 200 BCE, with the second group of caves built around 600 CE. Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, just outside the village of Ajinṭhā in Aurangabad district.
A single leaf (measuring 35.5 x 27.5 cm) of what is said to be a Hijazi Qur'an and to date from the second half of the 7th century CE. Verso.
Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi castle (Arabic: قصر الحير الغربي‎), located 80 km south-west of Palmyra on the Damascus road, is a twin palace with Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi, built by the Umayyad caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik in 727 CE.<br/><br/> It was used as an eye of the king during the Umayyad era, to control the movement of the desert tribes and to be a barrier against them, as well as being a hunting chalet. Later it was utilized by the Ayyubids and the Mamelukes but was abandoned permanently after the Mongol invasions.<br/><br/> The castle is quadrangular in outline with 70-meter sides. The central doorway to the castle is very attractive, and has been moved to the National Museum of Damascus to be used as the entrance. Its semi-cylindrical towers on the sides of the doorway, columns, and the geometric shapes mirrored a blend of Persian, Byzantine and Arab architecture.<br/><br/> Not much remains from the castle. All that is visible is a reservoir to collect waters from Harbaka dam, a bath and a khan. The gateway is presently preserved as a façade in the National Museum of Damascus.
Magi (Latin plural of magus; Ancient Greek: μάγος magos; Old Persian: maguš, Persian: مُغ‎ mogh; English singular magian, mage, magus, magusian, magusaean) is a term, used since at least the 4th century BCE, to denote followers of Zoroaster, or rather, followers of what the Hellenistic world associated Zoroaster with, which was – in the main – the ability to read the stars, and manipulate the fate that the stars foretold.<br/><br/> Pervasive throughout the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia until late antiquity and beyond, Greek mágos, "Magian" or "magician," was influenced by (and eventually displaced) Greek goēs(γόης), the older word for a practitioner of magic, to include astrology, alchemy and other forms of esoteric knowledge. This association was in turn the product of the Hellenistic fascination for (Pseudo-) Zoroaster, who was perceived by the Greeks to be the "Chaldean" "founder" of the Magi and "inventor" of both astrology and magic. Among the skeptical thinkers of the period, the term 'magian' acquired a negative connotation and was associated with tricksters and conjurers. This pejorative meaning survives in the words "magic" and "magician".<br/><br/> In English, the term "magi" is most commonly used in reference to the Gospel of Matthew's 'wise men from the East', or 'three wise men', though that number does not actually appear in Matthew's account. The plural "magi" entered the English language around 1200, in reference to the Biblical magi of Matthew 2:1. The singular appears considerably later, in the late 14th century, when it was borrowed from Old French in the meaning magician together with magic.
The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are 31 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka.<br/><br/> The caves were built in two phases starting around 200 BCE, with the second group of caves built around 600 CE. Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, just outside the village of Ajinṭhā in Aurangabad district.
The Takamatsuzuka Tomb (Takamatsuzuka Kofun or 'Tall Pine Tree Ancient Burial Mound' is an ancient circular tomb in Asuka village, Nara prefecture, Japan. Dating from the 6th-7th century CE, it contains painted fresco wall paintings of courtiers in Goguryeo-style garb.<br/><br/> The paintings are in full color with red, blue, gold, and silver foil representing four male followers and four abigails together with the Azure Dragon, Black Tortoise, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird groups of stars. The paintings are designated as a national treasure of Japan. For whom the tomb was built is unknown, but the decorations suggest it is for a member of the Japanese royal family or a high-ranking nobleman.
The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are 31 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka.<br/><br/> The caves were built in two phases starting around 200 BCE, with the second group of caves built around 600 CE. Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, just outside the village of Ajinṭhā in Aurangabad district.
The Takamatsuzuka Tomb (Takamatsuzuka Kofun or 'Tall Pine Tree Ancient Burial Mound' is an ancient circular tomb in Asuka village, Nara prefecture, Japan. Dating from the 6th-7th century CE, it contains painted fresco wall paintings of courtiers in Goguryeo-style garb.<br/><br/> The paintings are in full color with red, blue, gold, and silver foil representing four male followers and four abigails together with the Azure Dragon, Black Tortoise, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird groups of stars. The paintings are designated as a national treasure of Japan. For whom the tomb was built is unknown, but the decorations suggest it is for a member of the Japanese royal family or a high-ranking nobleman.
The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are 31 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka.<br/><br/> The caves were built in two phases starting around 200 BCE, with the second group of caves built around 600 CE. Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, just outside the village of Ajinṭhā in Aurangabad district.
Óc Eo is an archaeological site in Thoại Sơn District in southern An Giang Province, Vietnam, in the Mekong River Delta region of Vietnam. It is also one of the modern day communes of Vietnam. Óc Eo may have been a busy port of the kingdom of Funan between the 1st and 7th centuries AD. Scholars use the term 'Óc Eo Culture' to refer to the ancient material culture of the Mekong Delta region that is typified by the artifacts recovered at Óc Eo through archeological investigation. Excavation at Óc Eo began on February 10, 1942 after French archaeologists had discovered the site through the use of aerial photography. The first excavations were led by Louis Mallaret. The site covers 450 ha. Óc Eo is situated within a network of ancient canals that crisscross the low flatland of the Mekong Delta. One of the canals connects Óc Eo to the town's seaport while another goes 42 miles north-northeast to Angkor Borei. Óc Eo is longitudinally bisected by a canal, and there are four transverse canals along which pile-supported houses were perhaps ranged. The remains found at Óc Eo include pottery, tools, jewelry, casts for making jewelry, coins (including coins from the Roman Empire), and religious statues. Many of the remains have been collected and are on exhibition in the Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City.
Liu Bei (161 – 21 June 223 CE) was a warlord, military general and later as Emperor Zhaolie the founder of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Despite having a later start than his rivals and lacking both the material resources and social status they commanded, Liu overcame his many defeats to carve out his own realm, which at its peak spanned modern day Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, part of Hubei and part of Gansu.<br/><br/> Yan Liben (Wade–Giles: Yen Li-pen, c. 600-673), formally Baron Wenzhen of Boling, was a Chinese painter and government official of the early Tang Dynasty. His notable works include the Thirteen Emperors Scroll and Northern Qi Scholars Collating Classic Texts. He also painted the Portraits at Lingyan Pavilion, under Emperor Taizong of Tang, commissioned in 643 to commemorate 24 of the greatest contributors to Emperor Taizong's reign, as well as 18 portraits commemorating the 18 great scholars who served Emperor Taizong when he was the Prince of Qin. Yan's paintings included painted portraits of various Chinese emperors from the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) up until the Sui Dynasty (581-618) period.
The Sogdians established a trading network across the 2400 kilometres (1500 miles) from Sogdiana to China. In fact, the Sogdians turned their energies to trade so thoroughly that the Saka (Scythians) of the Kingdom of Khotan called all merchants suli, 'Sogdian', whatever their culture or ethnicity.<br/><br/> An ossuary is a chest, box, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains. They are frequently used where burial space is scarce. A body is first buried in a temporary grave, then after some years the skeletal remains are removed and placed in an ossuary. The greatly reduced space taken up by an ossuary means that it is possible to store the remains of many more people in a single tomb than if the original coffins were left as is.
The Sogdians established a trading network across the 2400 kilometres (1500 miles) from Sogdiana to China. In fact, the Sogdians turned their energies to trade so thoroughly that the Saka (Scythians) of the Kingdom of Khotan called all merchants suli, 'Sogdian', whatever their culture or ethnicity.<br/><br/> An ossuary is a chest, box, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains. They are frequently used where burial space is scarce. A body is first buried in a temporary grave, then after some years the skeletal remains are removed and placed in an ossuary. The greatly reduced space taken up by an ossuary means that it is possible to store the remains of many more people in a single tomb than if the original coffins were left as is.
The Kizil Caves (Qizil Ming Oy; Kizil Cave of a Thousand Buddhas) are 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township in Xinjiang. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres by road northwest of Kucha (Kuqa). This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road.<br/><br/> The caves are said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in Xinjiang, with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries. Although the site has been both damaged and looted, at least 1000 square metres of wall paintings—mostly Jataka stories—remain.
The Kizil Caves (Qizil Ming Oy; Kizil Cave of a Thousand Buddhas) are 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township in Xinjiang. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres by road northwest of Kucha (Kuqa). This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road.<br/><br/> The caves are said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in Xinjiang, with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries. Although the site has been both damaged and looted, at least 1000 square metres of wall paintings—mostly Jataka stories—remain.
The city of Bamiyan was part of the Buddhist Kushan Empire in the early centuries of the Christian era. After the Kushan Empire fell to the Sassanids, Bamiyan became part of the Kushansha, vassals to the Sassanids. The Hephthalites conquered Bamiyan in the 5th century.<br/><br/> After their Khanate was destroyed by the Sassanids and Turks in 565, Bamiyan became the capital of the small Kushano-Hephthalite kingdom until 870, when it was conquered by the Saffarids. The area was conquered by the Ghaznavids in the 11th century. In 1221 the city and its population were completely wiped out by Genghis Khan. The first European to see Bamiyan was William Moorcroft (explorer) about 1824.
Óc Eo is an archaeological site in Thoại Sơn District in southern An Giang Province, Vietnam, in the Mekong River Delta region of Vietnam. It is also one of the modern day communes of Vietnam. Óc Eo may have been a busy port of the kingdom of Funan between the 1st and 7th centuries AD. Scholars use the term 'Óc Eo Culture' to refer to the ancient material culture of the Mekong Delta region that is typified by the artifacts recovered at Óc Eo through archeological investigation.<br/><br/> Excavation at Óc Eo began on February 10, 1942 after French archaeologists had discovered the site through the use of aerial photography. The first excavations were led by Louis Mallaret. The site covers 450 ha.<br/><br/>Óc Eo is situated within a network of ancient canals that crisscross the low flatland of the Mekong Delta. One of the canals connects Óc Eo to the town's seaport while another goes 42 miles north-northeast to Angkor Borei. Óc Eo is longitudinally bisected by a canal, and there are four transverse canals along which pile-supported houses were perhaps ranged.<br/><br/> The remains found at Óc Eo include pottery, tools, jewelry, casts for making jewelry, coins (including coins from the Roman Empire), and religious statues. Many of the remains have been collected and are on exhibition in the Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City.