An Archaeological Perspective on the Mongol Conquest of Central Asia

with Katie Campbell

Persian historians describe the Mongol conquest of the Khwarzmian Empire in the early thirteenth century as catastrophic, with cities razed and populations slaughtered. But how much of these accounts might be taken literally? This presentation will examine archaeological evidence from Central Asian cities, to offer a new perspective on urban devastation during the conquests of 1219 to the 1250s. Considering urban construction, occupation patterns as well as how different cities functioned before and after the Mongol conquest, this lecture provides ‘on the ground’ evidence of what happened to cities across Central Asia.

About the speaker:

Katie Campbell is a research fellow in archaeology at King’s College, University of Cambridge.