Central Asian Monuments

The historical and literary Monuments of Central Asia are the repositories of civilization, culture and aesthetic tastes of their creators and their milieu over millennia. Though some existed in manuscript, a large portion survived dozens of centuries as part of the oral tradition. After printing press licenses were wrestled by the Central Asians from the Russian government during the 19th century, many were collected by the Central Asians and others, and published. The Monuments have proved to be durable. Primarily works of Central Asian thought, they belong also to civilization at large, representing the endeavors of human activity.

The present volume presents essays on nine Central Asian Monuments. Each essay discusses one Monument, placing it in historical perspective. Some works are very early products of Central Asian thought. A few, are quite new, that is, were produced in the 19th and the 20th centuries. They all, however, are repositories of thought and culture and all have had palpable repercussions. Their enduring quality is manifested in repeated references to them by present-day Central Asians in their own historical, literary, and even political writings. Indeed, this use of Monuments provided an additional reason for undertaking this collection. In a time when Central Asia's importance to the world affairs is again resurgent, it is necessary to understand the intellectual nucleus of Central Asians' mode of thinking. This is especially important, because an overwhelming majority of Central Asian writings do not appear in any other language than their own dialects. The appreciation of these Monuments, their messages and their influence over time contributes to the understanding of current issues precisely because they are directly linked in the minds of the Central Asians themselves. This is illustrated by the first essay, "Sun is also Fire," which examines the references to various Monuments in one contemporary "novella" from Uzbekistan.