Nomads and Networks

The catalog for the groundbreaking exhibition at New York University's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, Nomads and Networkspresents an unparalleled overview of the sophisticated ancient nomadic culture of Kazakhstan. Contrary to the perception that Central Asia's nomadic societies were less developed than sedentary ones and randomly roamed over the steppes, this catalog argues that the nomadic peoples of Kazakhstan followed a systematic cycle of movement based on established economic and societal needs, and that pastoralism, or herding of domesticated animals, played an integral role. Focusing on sixth to first century BC material from the Altai and Tianshan regions, Nomads and Networksexplores how the reliance on animals is reflected in the material culture, which represented all types of creatures, from the domestic to the mythic. Materials featured for the first time include saddles and saddle covers, and grave goods from the burial mounds in the Berel valley. Other objects, such as gold mortuary ornaments from Shilikty and Kargali, attest to influences from foreign cultures--most notably China and Persia. Contributors include: Alisher Akishev, Nursan Alimbaev, Nikolai Bokovenko, Claudia Chang, Bryan Hanks, Sarynbai Murgabaev, and Abdesh Toleubaev.