The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: Exploring the History and Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a modern country in Central Asia that was part of a succession of powerful empires, including the Russian empire. Today, this double landlocked country at the heart of the ancient Silk Road network is a unique melting pot of cultures, and may play an important role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Appreciate the country’s rich cultural heritage through some of the renowned World Heritage sites. Explore the fabled cities of Samarkand, the capital of Timur’s empire founded in 1370, and Khiva and Bukhara, centres of trade, religion and science, with their magnificent examples of Islamic art and architecture.

PAULA SWART, MA, is an art historian specializing in Asian cultures. A museum curator for more than 30 years, she curated an exhibition of Buddhist art at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC in 2012. Paula holds degrees in sinology, Chinese history and archaeology, and Asian art history. She lectures on educational tours, including those offered by alumni UBC/Worldwide Quest, and has travelled several times to Uzbekistan.

Format: Online.

Every week you participate in a live online class with your instructor. You’ll watch their presentation, and you can ask questions at designated times during the lecture.

Live lecture schedule: You participate in one live lecture a week for six weeks from 10am to 11:30am Pacific Time. We record every lecture in case you miss one.

The format: Each lecture is 45–60 minutes, followed by 30–45 minutes of questions and answers with your instructor. You can key in your questions in the forum which the instructor answers verbally for all students to hear.

Date: Tuesdays, January 25-March 1, 2022
Time: 10:00am-11:30am
Cost: $120.75 (inc GST)

To register, https://extendedlearning.ubc.ca/courses/golden-peaches-samarkand-exploring-history-cultural-heritage-uzbekistan/uq064 or call 604-822-1444.