Welcome to the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Asian History

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Letter from the editor

Sogdians in Their Homeland

"The Sogdians, an Iranian people who lived in present-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, played a leading role in commerce and cultural exchanges along the “Silk Roads” of the 1st millennium ce. They established settlements across a vast territory extending to northern China..." – By Michael Shenkar

Transriver Borders in the Asian Highlands

"Asian Highlands rivers flow down to the world’s most heavily populated river plains in South, Southeast, and East Asia. These well-watered, sediment-rich plains have attracted human settlers for millennia. For most of this history, the powerful states that ruled the river plains left..." – By Ruth Gamble

What's New to the OREs

In February 2025, 46 new articles and 3 revised articles, spread across 18 subjects, have been published on the Oxford Research Encyclopedias platform.

ORE Food Studies is Now Available via Subscription and Perpetual Access

On October 23, after a successful free period during development, the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Food Studies has been made available via subscription and perpetual access to libraries and institutions worldwide.

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