UCL Institute of Archaeology

Central Asia

Central Asia lies at the fulcrum of the development of complex societies, straddling major ecological, topographic and cultural boundaries. It is of considerable significance in the development of Neolithic and Bronze Age societies, including the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex, and in the growth of the empire systems, manufacturing industries and trade, from the Iron Age to the early modern era, along the Silk Roads. The region has a long history of Soviet archaeological research, much of which is poorly disseminated outside the Russian-speaking world, and there is a complex use of heritage in the present-day post-Soviet republics.

Research

Projects

• Ancient Merv Project
• China and Its Neighbours

Networks

• Neanderthals and Modern Humans in the Palaeolithic of Europe and Western Asia (IoA network)

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People

• Lukas Nickel
• Thilo Rehren
• Tao Wang
• Tim Williams

Degrees

• MA in Archaeology and Heritage of Asia
• MA in the Archaeology of the Middle East
• MA in Comparative Art and Archaeology
• MA in Urban Archaeology
• MSc in Palaeoanthropology and Palaeolithic Archaeology

Courses

undergraduate

• The Archaeology of Mesopotamia

graduate

• The Archaeology of Pre-modern Humans in Eurasia
• Archaeological Heritage Management in Asia
• Archaeologies of Asia
• Cities, States and Religions in Ancient India
• Archaeology of Buddhism
• Pattern and Process in the Archaeology of the Middle East

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