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0162 Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1
Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1 / Page 162 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000196
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The ancient history of this region, which constitutes no mean portion, as regards superficial extent at least, of that vast territory indicated by the comprehensive term Central Asia, is enveloped in the doubts of obscurity that surround all ancient history.

For several centuries anterior to the Christian era it formed part of the empire of Túrán swayed by a long line of Scythian Kings who are referred to a common descent from the great family of Afrásyáb. Of the wealth, power, civilization and laws of this ancient and most remarkable people who figure in the early records under the various Tártár, Chinese, Indian, and European appellations of Kinto Moey, Sai, Su, Sácá, Sákyá, Xaca, Sacæ, Scythæ, Tokbári, Yueichi, Yuchi, Yetæ, Getæ, Jattah, Jath, Jat, Jotun, Gothi, Guti, Goths, Guttones, Massagetæ, Caucasians, Tentones, Venden, Vandals, Germans, &c., &c., and who are all classed under the generic appellation of Aryan from Ariavartha, the old Sanskrit name of the region now known as that group of mountain ranges concentrating in Hindú Kush—the Kohi Káf of Orientals, the Caucasus of occidentals—and recognized as the primæval abode or location of the Caucasian stock of the Man family, we have many historic records; but none more significant than the yet enduring consequences of their early foreign conquests from this cradle of their race extending from the valley of the Syhon on the west to the basin of Lake Balkash on the east.

The successive irruptions of their vast colonizing hordes into northern and eastern Europe during the centuries just preceding and following the Christian era, as history teaches, thoroughly revolutionized the old form of society, and planted a new