The Soul of the Middle East & South Asia

A Curated Digital Encyclopedia

Archives

The Met Collection

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Living Traditions

UNESCO Intangible Heritage

Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana
Representative List

Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana

Ramlila, literally “Rama’s play”, is a performance of then Ramayana epic in a series of scenes that include song, narration, recital and dialogue. It…

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Tradition of Vedic chanting
Representative List

Tradition of Vedic chanting

The Vedas comprise a vast corpus of Sanskrit poetry, philosophical dialogue, myth, and ritual incantations developed and composed by Aryans over…

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Baul songs
Representative List

Baul songs

The Bauls are mystic minstrels living in rural Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. The Baul movement, at its peak in the nineteenth and early…

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Itchan Kala
Archaeological Wonders

Ancient Cities of the Silk Road

Discover the architectural majesty of ancient cities that once stood as the beating hearts of global trade, science, and art.

Curated Taxonomies

Period

Period

Antiquity to Modernity

Medium

Medium

Silk, Stone, & Clay

Culture

Culture

A Tapestry of Peoples