Warrior

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Armored figures are sometimes shown as devotees in the later cave temples at Kizil, at related sites such as Tumshuq, and in the secular wall paintings of Sogdia. They represent the ruling military elite who controlled the oasis kingdoms, such as those centered in Kucha on the northern part of the Silk Road and in Khotan on the southern branch.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art