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The Heavenly Horses of the Han Dynasty

Flying Horse of Gansu.  Source: Wang Lei (2008) The Heavenly Horses of the Han Dynasty The most well-known part of the Silk Road are the so-called northern routes of the overland Silk Road. These routes linked Xi’an in China, with Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Turfan and Kashgar. Traditionally the “opening” of this branch of the Silk Road is attributed to the military and commercial missions of Emperor Wudi, who ruled from 157 to 87 BC during the Han Dynasty. Although silk is often considered to be the main commodity exchanged, but what really kick started the trade over these northern routes was the Chinese demand for horses, and in particular ‘heavenly horses.’ But, as you may wonder, what were heavenly horses? Where did they come from? And what were the motives behind the desire for horses in Han-period China?  The Discovery of Heavenly Horses Unfortunately, the breeds of horses associated with these ‘heavenly horses’ are extinct today, but archaeological discoveries can ...
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Flying Horse of Gansu

Source: Michael Gunther Gansu Provincial Museum The Flying Horse of Gansu, Bronze Running Horse ( 铜奔马 ), Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow ( 马踏飞燕 ) Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220 AD) Bronze/ 34.5 ╳ 45.6 cm Excavated in 1969 from the Leitai Tomb belonging to General Zhang of Zhang Ye, Wuwei County, Gansu Province Gansu Provincial Museum, Lanzhou, China This is a realistic, three-dimensional, bronze sculpture of a galloping and neighing horse that has its right hoof treading on a flying bird. It was found together with 38 other bronze horse statues with chariots, of which some where inscribed with the name of General Zhang of Zhang Ye. Similar images of horses in full gallop have been found in other Eastern Han tombs and were painted on stone and brick reliefs. Before and during the Han Dynasty horses as were status symbols and greatly desired by the Han elite and military society. Archaeologists believe these horses might represent the "he...
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Xiongnu - Rise of Steppe Empires

XiongNu - Rise of Steppe Empires This episode is about the Steppe people, the nomadic tribes scattered along the Eurasian steppe. These people fascinate and excite history lovers of all kinds. The imagery they provoke is still alive and powerful, even though there is a big distance between our era and theirs. You probably all know about the Mongols, the massive conquest of much of Asia under their famous leader Genghis Khan in the 12th century is the stuff of legend or nightmares depending who you ask, but maybe you don’t know much about the Xiongnu. (Xiongnu map by Gabagool)  Introducion Often neglected, the Xiongnu were an important historical player. They’re basically proto-Mongols or the beta version of what evolved into superior nomadic lifestyle of Mongols and others like them. Xiongnu empire ruled much of Mongolia, Siberia and northern China from 3rd century BC to 1st century AD. Mongols just perfected the art which was already there. Xiongnu and other first...
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