Nomadic Cultures In The Mega-Structure Of The Eurasian World [Hardcover]

Two major dividing lines have formed the megastructure of Eurasia, determining the historical epochs of the continents peoples. The first, vertical (longitudinal) line has separated East and West since the Paleolithic Age. The East was dominated by Mongol peoples speaking Sino -Tibetan, Manchu-Tungus, and Altaic languages. The Caucasoid peoples of the West spoke mostly Indo-European, Semite, and Finno-Ugric languages. The second line divided the continent horizontally (by latitude) into North and South. This division was closely connected with the Eurasian Steppe Belt. To the north of it lay the world of hunter-gatherers and fishermen. To the south, settled agriculture was dominant. The Steppe Belt itself was the domain of pastoralists, the nomadic and semi-nomadic herders. These lines converged at the entrance to the Great Silk Road. With the swift development of horse domestication and horseback riding, the nomads movedfrom the Early Metal Age (500400 BCE) to Genghis Khan's and the Genghisids Great Empire (12001400 CE)to the forefront of Eurasian history as their world became increasingly involved in dramatic and sometimes tragic relationships with their southern neighbors. This book focuses on the tangle of problems in these nomadic peoples history.

Chernykhs work has a number ofqualities that make it a valuable addition to the histories of Eurasia. &Every chapter is more extensively illustrated than any other history of Eurasiawith color photographs, drawings, maps and charts that make the complexinformation in that chapter extremely clear. & In short, for anyone,student or scholar, with an interest in the history of Eurasia and its place inworld history this is a valuable work that can be highly recommended.

Introduction

A Tragic Century . . .

Every Earth Zone . . .

Earth . . . the Progenitor of all Things

Part I. The Steppe Belt in the Mega-Structure of the Eurasian World

Chapter 1. The Formation of the Eurasian World

StructurelS&