Kazakhstan: Religions and Society in the History of Central Eurasia

This book is essentially a portfolio of the religious experience in the Kazakh lands organised in two parts: the first devoted to the religions of the Steppes of Central Eurasia (present-day Kazakhstan) in the prehistoric and ancient period, and the second is devoted to the study of the different religious beliefs professed by the various populations who lived and live in the Kazakh Steppes in the medieval, modern and contemporary periods (12th-20th century). Special attention is given to themes of the utmost importance such as Buddhist Lamaism in Kazakh lands, the role of religion in the control of intertribal conflicts between Kazakhs, and the Jewish presence in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Kazakhstan. This book is illustrated with a wealth of photographs and maps of the major places of worship in Kazakhstan from archive collections belonging to Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation. 46 colour & 30 b/w illustrations