Central Asian Epigraphy

[keaganjoelbrewer]

I was wondering, what is the very first example of indigenous writing in Central Asia?

I know that there have been seal stones from the Indus Valley civilisation found in Turkmenistan (from the 3rd millenium B.C.E.), but this is not indigenous to Central Asia.

When did Central Asian people start writing and what is the earliest kind of writing we have?

The earliest I know of after the Indus tablets is the Orkhon inscriptions from the 8th century C.E., but I am guessing there is much more before this. Anyone have any info?

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

Between the Anau Seal and the Ih Höšööt Их хөшөөт Inscription (dated around 716, a bit earlier than the Orhon Monuments), there is this short inscription found at Ysyq (Isik) dated 5th-4th centuries BC, but it's decipherment is disputed, there haven't been an agreed decision about to whom it belongs to, and in which language it is written.

[keaganjoelbrewer]

Thanks Ihsan!

Is this the only one?

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

As far as I know, yes.

Of course I'm not counting the native IE languages of Turkistān (Soghdian, Khwarazmian, Khotanese, Tokharian, etc) ;D

[keaganjoelbrewer]

These were exactly the ones I was thinking of hehe.

Do you know of any writing from the 3rd/2nd/1st milleniums B.C.?

I am wondering whether there is anything contemporary with the Indus inscriptions.

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

As far as I know, the IE languages of Turkistān became written literary languages only after 4th-5th centuries AD, but I'm not sure

[Azadan Januspar]

The discoveries of Khwarazmian scripts and coins belonged to ancient kings of Khwarazm in Tuporaq Qale by Russian archaelogists, dates back to 3rd century. The earliest date for literary Sughdian is 2nd century AD. ;D

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

Ah so it was earlier than I remembered