A really interesting look ate one man whose archeological explorations that returned many treasures of religious and artistic merit. It is amazingly positive in tone in a time when so many nations where competing to see who could find the best ancient loot.

While Journeys on the Silk Road is (mostly) about Aurel Stein and his travels in Turkestan in the early 1900's, most of these journeys were in what is now Western China. For the expedition that took a major part of the book, Stein traveled over the mountains from Kashmir to Kashgar and from there headed east along the southern Silk Road route to Dunhuang. This city was the gateway to China for the traders who connected East with West up until sea routes made the dangerous journey unnecessary. In Dunhuang he was able to acquire some ancient scrolls from a sealed chamber in The Caves of the Thousand Buddhas. Among them was a dated scroll from 868 C.E. which is considered the oldest printed book for which we have a verified date, printed in China with woodblocks. It is known as The Diamond Sutra. Stein then explored part of the northern route before making a mad dash across the Taklamakan Desert back to the southern route and eventually back to his base in India after any number of adventures.

Although much of "Journeys" is about Stein and his explorations, there is also much about Buddhism and its travels from India to China across Central Asia and its prominence there before the arrival of Islam in the region. Apparently both religions along with Manachaeism, Nestorians, etc. co-existed amicably along the Silk Road for a long time judging by the manuscripts and other artifacts that have been discovered in the area.

The authors also discussed the studies that have been made of Stein's discoveries and concerns about preservation and, more recently, concerns about who owns ancient artifacts. There is also a link to a great site (idp.bl.uk) where many of these manuscripts have been digiitzed and can be viewed, including the Diamond Sutra. The bibliography is also a good source for further reading.

What an excellent piece of non-fiction writing this is! There was a feeling of excitement throughout as Morgan and Walters tell the tale of early 20th century explorer, surveyor and archaeologist, Aurel Stein.
And what an interesting character they made of this insightful recluse.
Stories of camel caravans moving along the (already by then disused) Silk Road, through the Taklamakan ("Go in and you won't come out") Desert, in search of rumourmed remnants of lost civilizations. Then the location of the Caves of 1000 Buddhas, and the cultural riches therein.
I read this book with Google Earth constantly open beside me, trying to track Stein's path on his various journeys, and wondering what the region looked like then, in the first and second decades of the 20th century.
And then the follow-up: what happened to these vast collections, and how the Diamond Sutra is read and revered still, today.
This was the most engaging non-fiction I have read in a long time. ( )