The archaeology and architecture of Afghanistan have never been the subject of their own book before; through concise description and discussion Edgar Knobloch here reveals their importance both as works of art, and as symbols of the country's past, geography and character. Tracing the historical and cultural development of artistic and architectural styles, this book comprehensively examines the major sites, with detailed description of their buildings and decoration. The extent to which these structures were influences by Afghanistan's long history of war and invasion - from Alexander the Great to the present day - is discussed against a clear and informative outline of the country's past and present. Illustrated with evocative photographs of both monuments and daily life, the book describes in detail the artistic movements and achievements of Afghanistan, while constantly reminding the reader that these images, taken by the author in 1978, show a cultural heritage which may no longer exist.

Turkestan - the great landmass of Central Asia and Western China - is an intriguing meeting point of civilizations. Four major invasions - Greek, Arab, Mongol and Russian - together with Persian, Turkic and Chinese cultural influences, have made their mark on this vast and sometime forbidding region. The Great Silk Road ran to the West through it, while nomad and urban peoples combined over the centuries to produce a cultural flowering under Timur and his successors in the late medieval and early modern periods, through a rich profusion of artistic and architectural styles and ornament. In this comprehensive account of the culture and history of Central Asia, Edgar Knobloch describes the main centres of our human civilization. He spices the text with quotations from the works of contemporary travellers, while providing an expert's commentary on the archaeological, architectural and decorative features of the sites he describes. The stunning and evocative photographs are supplemented by numerous maps, incorporating the recent developments in the region's borders and frontiers. With up-to-date information on borders, check points and visas, Treasures of the Great Silk Road should appeal not only to scholars and those interested in the great cultural heritage of this region, but also to travellers to the region.