The Sogdian Ancient Letters: Voices from the Silk Road's Lost World

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The Sogdian Ancient Letters: Voices from the Silk Road's Lost World

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In this episode of Silk Road Empires, Lucas and Luna explore the haunting personal stories preserved in the Sogdian Ancient Letters, a cache of 8th-century correspondence discovered by Aurel Stein in a watchtower near Dunhuang. These fragile documents, written on Chinese paper in Sogdian script, offer a rare glimpse into the lives of Sogdian merchants, their families, and the chaos of the An Lushan Rebellion. Lucas details the letter from Miwnay, a woman trapped in Dunhuang, begging her husband for help, and another from Nanai-dhat, a merchant reporting the fall of Chang'an. They discuss how the letters were found, their historical context, and what they reveal about Sogdian trade networks, family ties, and the violence that shattered the Silk Road. The episode also touches on the letters' role in dating the Sogdian presence in China and the controversy over Stein's excavation methods. A poignant journey into the human side of the Silk Road's golden age. #SogdianAncientLetters #SilkRoad #AurelStein #Dunhuang #Miwnay #NanaiDhat #AnLushanRebellion #Sogdian #TarimBasin #TangDynasty #FexingoHistory #History #AncientCorrespondence #SogdianTrade #ChangAn #SteinExcavation #SogdianScript #8thCentury Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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