Tomb figurine of a man (Sogdian) from Central Asia and his pet 618-906 CE

"This writer (Kim Jin-heon) has been interested in the life of ancient Sogdians for many years. They accumulated many riches through trade with Rome and Tang, and they built marvelous buildings in Samarkand, Uzbekistan that still exist today. They were especially prosperous from the 4th to the 8th century A.D.

Most Sogdians lived near Samarkand, a small-sized city, as descendants of Iranians. The area was a transportation hub as well as a strategic foothold, linking the East and West, between India and the Steppes region.

These geopolitical traits enticed powerful surrounding countries to conquer the region and have hegemony over it. This kind of history caused the tribe to always be subject to colonization. As a way to survive the situation, Sogdians learned various languages and acquired the traits of many cultures. They were known as outgoing and ambitious.

With the desert and the Silk Road as their main "natural" resources, Sogdians were raised at a young age to be merchants. For example, when boys became five, they began to learn foreign languages with the aim to engage in business."

-Kim Jin-heon, The Korea Times

Tomb figurine of a man (Sogdian) from Central Asia and his pet. From China, Tang dynasty, 618-906 CE, earthenware with traces of paint - Östasiatiska museum, Stockholm, Sweden.

Source:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tomb_figurine_of_a_man_from_Central_Asia,_China,_Tang_dynasty,_618-906_AD,_earthenware_with_traces_of_paint_-_%C3%96stasiatiska_museet,_Stockholm_-_DSC09598.JPG

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheGreatSteppe/comments/k74lxo/tomb_figurine_of_a_man_from_central_asia_china/

Quote:

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2022/05/137_317768.html