From Šalām to Drōd: A History of Middle Iranian Epistolary Traditions This lecture will explore the letters written in late antique Iran and Central Asia in Middle Persian, Bactrian, and Sogdian. Regions in which these languages were used shared an inheritance from the Achaemenid empire—not just a script but also conventions of writing from orthography...

The Rise of Persian: Understanding the Evolution of Writing in the Sasanian and Early Islamic Periods This talk explores the evolution of writing during the Sasanian and early Islamic periods, shedding light on the long-term process that led to Persian becoming the lingua franca in Western and Central Asia from Iran to the borders of...

Regal Metamorphosis: A Transcultural Journey of the Achaemenid Royal Women to the East   Xiwangmu, also known as the Queen of the West, is a significant deity in ancient Chinese mythology, revered initially as the protector of departed souls. Her representation emerged during the late Western Han period around the 1st century BCE. Scholars have...