Back in his day (around the 11th century), Genghis Khan and his descendants

conquered most of the then-known world. They did so using masterful

military innovation, gutsy perseverance and fast little horses that could

run all day. Before all this, however, Genghis Khan undertook the task of

uniting the Mongol world under one leadership — his.

On exhibit through March 5 at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville,

Genghis Khan: Treasures From Inner Mongolia chronicles this period

of unification through the art of the time. It is a fascinating journey

through the history of the East’s most influential historical figure.

The main impact of Khan’s Empire arose from the habit they had of

conquering a land and taking the artists and craftsmen back home to Kara

Khorum, the Mongol capital. Cultural styles from all of Asia combined to

enrich that of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. This point is well-illustrated in

the Treasures exhibit.

The exhibit’s chronological organization allows for a walk through time,

from the earliest history of the Warring States period, when the Mongol

tribes fought tirelessly amongst themselves, to the rise of Genghis’

descendants, who carried their grandfather’s Empire across the Asian

continent and into Europe. The visitor receives a thoughtful and

comprehensive lesson on a people whom Americans rarely learn about. A

complimentary cassette-tape guide offers intriguing insight to Mongol

customs and culture.

Their assimilation of disparate styles has led to some confusion among art

archaeologists. An instance of this is pointedly documented by the

Nashville exhibit. A style of Chinese porcelain known as Blue and White

was, until recently, thought to have originated in China in the 14th

century. Through investigation of Mongol archaeological sites, however,

some pieces of the pottery have been found which date back to the 7th

century. New theories hold that the glazing technique particular to Chinese

Blue and White may have come to China through the Mongol’s acquisition of

other people’s artists.

The exhibit is in Nashville for another month, and is well-worth the trip.

Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1

to 5 p.m. Museum admission is free, but the Khan exhibit costs $8. The

museum is offering free admission to school groups, available by making

reservations at (615) 741-0830.