Silk Road Legacy: Archaeology, Empires, and the Symbolism of Silk | Goran Đurđević, PhD

Описание: In this episode of Conversations on Sinology, we speak with Dr. Goran Đurđević, a comparative classical and Asian archaeologist, anthropologist, and historian, about the complex legacy of the Silk Road. From the 19th-century origins of the term and the symbolism of silk, to diplomacy, Ferghana horses, and the cosmopolitan Tang dynasty, we explore how land and maritime networks shaped the history of Eurasia. We also discuss the exchange of religions, technologies, and ideas, as well as the modern interpretations and myths surrounding the “Silk Road.”

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Goran Đurđević is a comparative (classical and Asian) archaeologist, environmental and digital anthropologist and global ancient historian originally from Croatia. His educational background includes a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Archaeology and History (double major) from the University of Zadar in Croatia. He also pursued an online Postgraduate Diploma in Comparative Mythology from Mumbai University in India. In addition, he obtained his Ph.D. degree in Archaeology from Capital Normal University in Beijing, China. His doctoral thesis, supervised by Ning Qiang, focused on the comparative study of ancient mirrors in Qin-Han China and ancient Rome, titled "Reflection in Qin-Han and Roman Art" (2021). Currently, he is doing his second Ph.D. in environmental humanities at University of Zadar.

Goran has also spent one semester as a visiting graduate researcher at UCLA in the United States. His research interests are primarily centered around three main areas: global antiquities and comparative archaeology, digital humanities, and environmental humanities. Currently, he co-leads the digital humanities project called Mirror Studies (www.mirrorstudies.com). In his teaching role, Goran offers courses on topics such as Global Ancient Worlds, Empires: Comparative Perspectives, Environmental Humanities, Rome and Han China, and Digital Humanities. Throughout his academic career, Goran has received several notable awards and scholarships. These include the Ph.D. scholarship awarded by the Government of the People's Republic of China, an outstanding student scholarship from the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education, as well as being a double winner of the Rector's awards for the academic years 2007/2008 and 2011/2012 at the University of Zadar. Recently, he got Great Wall Hero, an award given by Beijing Tourism Bureau and Dr Lisa Lodwick Best Poster Award at TRAC Exeter conference.