Sasanian finds in early medieval Britain & beyond: another global distribution from Late Antiquity? — new post :) http://www.caitlingreen.org/2017/07/sasanian-finds-in-early-medieval-britain.html …pic.twitter.com/Ju2lz2QvKE
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In terms of finds, iirc Sasanian materials are all glassware, though some 8thC and after turquoise pottery etc and Roman beads too; also some questionable 4thC Roman coins from Okinawa (Sasanian coins are absent but present in coastal China).
The Sassanian glassware in Japan is jaw-droppingly amazing! But why would anyone be surprised about coins and goods endin up in e.g. Britain and Scandinavia?
And yet they are! Often dismissed as modern frauds etc until recently :-(
Why? When contemporary Roman emperors and their entourage, scholars, clerics and pilgrims could travel from Yorkshire to Paris, Rome, Constantinople and Ctesiphon, why wouldn't small, precious goods and coins?
It's theoretically possible of course with the silk road, but certain items followed known routes. Precious metals are more likely to be melted down into local currencies or other objects or to be buried/lost en route. The further east you go the less likely they are to make it.
Fascinating. Thank you. It's interesting Priestman thinks it's direct contact between the Sasanians and Japan. The known finds shown on the map rather suggests the overland silk road trade route. There's finds along its length and a lack of finds in southeast Asia.
There's documentary evidence for maritime routes, plus some finds to back up - also nature of find circumstances different in North etc. Cf also contemp Indo-Pacific beads in China, Japan, Korea, Red Sea etc, showing sea trading. No need to think of single route etc imho :)
Furthermore we know that from the 6th century onwards Buddhism came from China and Korea into Japan. This suggests an active trade route in common with the larger distribution of Sasanian finds. Sadly the link to the Japan Times article about the Persian in Japan has expired.
The curse of link rot on the Internet :-( What will it look like in 20 yrs? I know I've one site that old and not a single link from that era has remained stable....
The curse of link rot indeed. I've not heard it called that before but it's a perfect way to describe it. I've had quite a few article researches ruined by it over the years.
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