The strict prohibition on the representation of the human form has channeled artistic creation into architecture and architectural decoration. This book is a magical tour through Central Asia - Khirgizia, Tadjikistan, Turkmenia, and Uzbekistan - a cradle of Ancient civilisations and are pository of the Oriental arts inspired by Buddhism and Islam. There are magnificent, full-colour photographs of the abandoned cities of Mervand Urgench, Khiva, the capital of the Kharezm, with its mausoleum of Sheikh Seid Allahuddin,and, the Golden Road to Samarkand, the Blue City, a center of civilisation for 2,500 years.form has channeled artistic creation into architecture andarchitectural decoration. This book is a magical tourthrough Central Asia - Khirgizia, Tadjikistan, Turkmenia,and Uzbekistan - a cradle of Ancient civilisations and arepository of the Oriental arts inspired by Buddhism andIslam. There are magnificent, full-colour photographs of theabandoned cities of Mervand Urgench, Khiva, the capital ofthe Kharezm, with its mausoleum of Sheikh Seid Allahuddin,and, the Golden Road to Samarkand, the Blue City, acenter of civilisation for 2,500 years.