Temples of Swat. The Shahi archaeological landscape. The talk will report on the recent research at Barikot, Swat, Pakistan, where excavations continued also in 2020. The ancient urban site, known in Greek and Latin sources as Bazira/Beira, between 700 and 1000 CE, became a major Śāhi centre with palatial and cultic structures, known as Vajira…
The Queen of Sheba's Gift: A History of the True Balsam of Matarea
Islam's Forgotten Frontier - the Indian Ocean world 600-1000 CE This paper presents work in progress, part of a monograph project aiming to integrate several forgotten (or at best neglected) frontiers of the early Islamic world into mainstream Islamic history. Currently when one speaks of an "eastern" frontier in the early Islamic world it is to…
A conversation with Sheila Blair and Jonathan Bloom, chaired by Professor Robert Hillenbrand and Professor Carole Hillenbrand In their own words, Jonathan Bloom and Sheila Blair espouse ‘things and thinginess rather than theories and isations’. Its many insights, firmly anchored in artistic practice, are supported by ample technical know-how. The range is wide –…
Reflections on Mughal Art and Culture, recently published, explores the rich aesthetic and cultural legacy of the Mughal Empire with new, insightful material researched by 13 leading scholars in the field. The articles in the book discuss varied subjects under the Mughal umbrella, challenge long-held ideas and draw comparisons between the artistic expressions and…
Excavated Remains of huge pillars at the Izumo Grand Shrine in Shimane Prefecture reawakened interest in the early history of this important monument and the interface between archaeology, history and myth in understanding of ancient Japan. Photo courtesy of the Izumo Grand Shrine. Simon Kaner is Director of the Centre for Japanese Studies at the…