Innermost Asia

Book Details
• Author: Sir Aurel Stein
• ISBN: 9788170202318
• Volumes: Set in 5 Volumes
• Pages: 1400 pp
• Year of Publishing: 1982
• Binding: Hardbound
• Publisher: Cosmo Publications

Description
Sir Aurel Stein’s name is notably associated with the extensive excavations and explorations in Central and Innermost Asia. Trained as an Orientalist and archaeologist, he planned several expeditions to the interior of Asia and utilized Sanskrit, Persian, Chinese, Turkish, Greek, and Latin as scholarly tools to unlock geographical puzzles. Through his journeys, he made valuable topographical surveys and recorded his experiences in his famous works.

Innermost Asia recounts his rediscovery of the ancient Silk Route, tracing the passage across the Tarim Basin to the upper reaches of the Oxus, and into Iran and the Hindukush valleys. During his explorations, he unearthed numerous long-buried sites in the desert sands of Central Asia, revealing a forgotten civilization and the ancient remains of a rich and vibrant culture. His discoveries highlight the close links between the growth and development of civilizations across China, India, Mongolia, Russian Turkistan, the Pamirs, Kashgar, and Samarkand.

The finds from his explorations include:
• Antiquities, silk paintings, manuscript remains in Sanskrit and Prakrit, and Kharosthi documents.
• Ancient textiles, prehistoric painted pottery, porcelains, coins, tapestries, and stone implements.
• Descriptions of Chinese paintings found in tombs and caves.
• Detailed accounts of nomadic tribes and clans encountered during his travels.

Sir Stein was ably supported by scholars who catalogued the vast number of antiquities and artifacts he collected.

This five-volume set includes:
• Volumes 1 & 2: Descriptive text in 30 chapters with appendices and inscriptions.
• Volume 3: 505 large photographs documenting geographical and historical aspects.
• Volume 4: 200 plates of antiquities, art, and other finds.
• Volume 5: 56 maps of Chinese Turkistan and Kansu from surveys conducted during the expeditions.

This publication is a treasure trove for scholars interested in Indology, history, geography, and anthropology of the vast Central Asian region.