The February slideshow will feature intrepid world traveler Jacquie Parker sharing her adventures in Central Asia.
While Western Europe was engulfed in the Dark Ages, Central Asia was supporting the thriving cities of Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand, which were situated at the center of the Silk Road and boasted palaces with running water, elaborate gardens overlooking paved, tree lined streets and more than 2,000 caravanseri or inns. Silk, iron and fine paper were made and traded there, along with the goods constantly arriving from Persia, India and China.
In 1220 CE, Genghis Khan flattened Samarkand, killing even the dogs and cats. Though nothing of its splendor remained, Samarkand recovered, and by the mid 1300’s Ulugh Beg’s observatory housed the world’s largest and most sophisticated sextant and the city’s architectural tile work was renowned.
In May 2014, Jacquie Parker was in Uzbekistan when Russia invaded Crimea. Jacquie has made Asia Minor and Central Asia a focus of intense historical, political and cultural study. On Wednesday, Feb 11, she will share some insights on why Central Asia currently deserves the same attention it had during its Silk Road heyday. Join us at 7:00pm in the Sisson Museum in Mt. Shasta. This SLT fundraising event has an $8 suggested donation.
