Behind and Beyond the Archaeology of the Silk Road: Laboratory Analyses in Eurasia, Some Results, Discussions, and Interpretations for Protohistory and Antiquity

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The paper presents some new results illustrating some developments related tothe concept ofthe Silk Road and subsequent methodological reflections. Newlaboratory results ofscientific analyses ofplants, minerals, and human remainsin combination with more conventional methods of research contribute toa better understanding of the multidirectionality of exchanges in Pre- andProtohistory. Unsuspected long-distance transfers of items, especially of metals(tin) and biological materials (plants, pathogens, etc.) are discovered. Addingancient DNA and petroglyphs to the vexed question of the Indo-Europeanmigrations across Eurasia complexifies the familiar linguistic, historical, andarchaeological research landscape. Recent excavations show the impact ofthe adoption of artistic elements adapted from the Achaemenid arts, far inthe steppe world, and up to China. Multidirectional (including North-Southlanes) and multidisciplinary approaches leave space and hope for more rigorousscientific modelizations for the archaeology ofEurasia and the Silk Road.