The unique mural depicts a blond man, not of Han descent, leading camels. His clothing and features suggest he is a Sogdian from Central Asia, who were known for their role as traders along the ...

The murals inside the tomb cover nearly every surface ... Professor Victor Xiong of Western Michigan University identifies him as a sogdian, a people from Central Asia who played a vital role ...

Other murals portray natural landscapes ... we can identify him as a 'Westerner,' likely a Sogdian from Central Asia," Xiong said. (The Sogdians were a trading people along the Silk Road routes ...

In particular, dramatic murals depicting myths, fables, and everyday scenes characterize the world of the Sogdian imagination. “We find murals in almost every field season,” says Lurje.

The Sogdian people originated from Sogdiana, a region that now includes parts of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. They were talented artisans and merchants renowned for their sense of ...

The Sogdian people lived in what is now modern-day Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and were active along Silk Road trading routes. The murals coat the entire tomb, save for the floor. The South China ...

Nearby, at Afrasiab, restorer Marina Reutova unveils ancient Sogdian murals, offering a rare glimpse into 7th-century life. In Konigil, craftsman Zarif Mukhtarov revives the lost art of Samarkand ...

(See “A Silk Road Ren aissance.”) In one mural, a Sogdian merchant confronts a camel laden with goods as it throws its head back. In another scene, a Sogdian groom attempts to tame a wild ...