When relics speak: Panjakent murals in Tajikistan

How deeply did the ancient Silk Road shape cultural exchange? Some of the answers are etched into the vibrant Panjakent murals – masterpieces painted between the 6th and early 8th century CE in the once-thriving Sogdian city in what is now western Tajikistan. 

Brimming with life and detail, these murals reflect a rich fusion of influences, telling stories that span distant lands along this historic route. From the elegance of Chinese aesthetics to Indian animal fables from the Panchatantra, and echoes of the Roman and Hellenistic worlds through tales like Aesop's Fables, they reveal a dynamic exchange of art, ideas, and cross-cultural interactions – when East met West – not just in terms of trade, but also in spirit.

Now, with the help of AI, one of these ancient scenes has been brought to life. Look closely and you might spot the refined grace of the Tang Dynasty in a figure's slender eyes and serene expression. Let history speak – in color, in form, and in the shared threads that connect civilizations.