Cultural life in the 6th–7th centuries

In this period Sogdiana, Khwarazm and Tokharistan each had their own script; Sogdian and Khwarazmian scripts grew out of ancient Aramaic, and the Tokharian script from Bactrian. The Turks used the Kokturk runic script of 38–40 signs, convenient for carving on stone and wood; the inscriptions of Kul Tegin and Bilge Khagan are written in it. Writing was mostly done on leather, wood and pottery, and paper was rarely used because it was expensive. Most people followed Zoroastrianism; Buddhism, Christianity, Manichaeism and the Turks’ qam (shamanist) faith also existed, qam being based on worship of Kok Tengri. The core of a town was the shahristan, surrounded by rabots; Samarkand was among the largest cities, with an area of about 200 hectares. Wall paintings of Afrasiab, Panjakent and Varakhsha, the reclining Buddha statue of Ajinatepa (about 12 m long), carved stucco and the dances of Chach show the art of the time.