The Ancient Worlds of Asia

245 Pages·1961·19.488 MB·English

by  Ernst Diez

TAWOA
$4.50
YA
THE ANCIENT
WORLDS OF ASIA
ERNST DffiZ
Translated byw. c. DARWELL
This survey of Asian cultures from
Mesopotamia to the Yellow River covers
a period of five thousand years from the
time of Noah to the nineteenth century in
Mandalay. It describes hi accurate detail,
bothfromcontemporary sources andfrom
archaeological expeditions, the artistic
treasures of some of the greatest states,
cities andtemples theworld has everseen.
It also provides a compelling account of
the daily lives of many of our distant aji-
cestors, some of whom were indeed the
founders of Western civilisation.
There is a wonderful sense of unity in
this masterful survey, centred upon the
idea of the "God on the mountain," be he
the God of the Babylonian Ziggurat, the
Chinese Pagoda, or the Ark of the Cove
nant. To assist our understanding of the
art and architecture of the periods he de
scribes, the author has included a brief
account of the Islamic and Buddhist reli
gions and ofthe ChineseAncestor cult.
Professor Diez is well known in both
EuropeandtheUnitedStatesasanauthor
ity on many aspects of this vast cultural
landscape, and it is his special achieve
ment to have written an eminently read
able and entertaining book in which
scholarship and humanity are successfully
blended.
Illustratedwith maps andphotographs
G. P. PUTNAM S SONS
PublishersSince 1838
200 Madison Avenue
New York, New York
0661
THE ANCIENT WORLDS OF ASIA
From Mesopotamia to the Yellow River

The
Ancient Worlds
of Asia
From Mesopotamia to the Yelkw River
ERNST DIEZ
FOUNDEDIS3I
G. P. Putnam s Sons New York
FIRST AMERICAN EDITION 1961
Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1961. All
rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, must
not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Translated by W. C. Harwell
from the French version by Louis Mezeray
Library of Congress Catalog
Card Number: 61-10333
MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The publishers would like to thank Messrs. Faber &
Faber, Ltd., forpermission to quote extractsfrom The
Development ofSumerian Art by Sir Leonard Woolley;
Penguin Books, Ltd., for permission to quote extracts
from What Happened in History by V. Gordon Childe,
Ur of the Chaldees by Sir Leonard Woolley, and
Prehistoric India by Stuart Piggott; and Messrs.
&
Routledge Kegan Paul, Ltd., for permission to
quote extracts from Studies in Early Chinese Culture by
H. G. Creel.
LIBHARl
^205802
TRANSLATOR NOTE
S
This translation ofEntschleiertes Aden by Ernst Diez
has been made principally from the French version
published under the title of Les Anciens Mondes de
XV
VAsie. Chapter was newly written and has been
translated from the German by my colleague. Miss
M. M. Middleton. The spelling ofpropernames has
been standardised on the model of either the
Encyclopaedia Britanmca or the authorities named in
the for further
"Suggestions reading".
W.C.D.
CONTENTS
......
...... Page
INTRODUCTION
xiii
THE GOLDEN AGE
1. 15
2. THE DESCENDANTS OF NOAH . .... .. 21
.....
ASSYRIAN TEMPLES AND PALACES
3. 40
THE TOWER OF BABEL
4. 63
5. "KING DARAYAVAUSH PROCLAIMS . . ." . 78
6. THE COURT OF THE SASSANIANS . . . 87
THE CITY OF PEACE .100
7. . . . .
8. ISFAHAN: "HALF THE WORLD" . . . "rig
BUDDHIST GROTTO TEMPLES .138
g. . . .
10. MERU, THE MOUNTAIN OF THE GODS 160
. .
11. EXCAVATIONS IN CHINA . .. .. .. ..174
12. THE GREAT SHANG CITY 180
13. THE CHOU CIVILISATION . . . . igs
14. THE CH IN EMPIRE . , . . . .215
15. THE MONASTERY ON THE DEAD SEA . . 227
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING . . 233
INDEX 235
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
...
A facingpage
1. Assyrian sculpture. lion hunt ... 48
2. Assurbanipal and his queen feas.ting... 48
......
3. Hunting wild asses and lions 49
......
4. Stele from Babylon 64
....
5. Ruins at Persepolis 65
6. Ruined columns at Persepolis 65
.160
Isfahan
7. . . . . . .
.161
8. The Borobudur, a bas-relief . . .
9. The Borobudur, bell-shaped dagobas . . 161
.176
10. Ting ofShang-yin period . . .
11. Bronze wine-vessel, Shang-yin or early Chou . 176
12. Inscribedbronzevessel, Shang-yinorearly Chou . 177
13. Bronze wine-vessel, inscribed. Early Chou . 177
Thefollowingillustrations arereproducedbypermission
oftheBritish Museum: i, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13.