Constructing Central Asia in Travel Literature: Roads, Architecture, and Urban Spectacle in Clavijo’s and Vambery’s Narratives

Traveler books give us valuable insights into how societies functioned in different historical contexts. Central Asia, as a crossroads of civilizations and trade routes, holds particular importance for understanding cultural landscapes and patterns of interaction across time. This paper examines the construction of Central Asia in travel literature through a comparative analysis of Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo’s early 15th-century embassy narrative and Armin Vambery’s 19th-century travel account. By using a classification-based methodology, this research focuses on key locations; Samarkand and Bukhara, and explores how roads, urban environments, and cultural performances are framed within the travelers’ texts. Through close textual analysis, the research highlights how physical movement (roads and routes), spatial descriptions (markets and architecture), are used to shape the reader’s perception of Central Asian identity. The central research question asks: how do these travelers represent physical and cultural space in Samarkand and Bukhara, and what do their differing approaches reveal about the political, social, and ideological contexts of their journeys? Clavijo’s account presents ceremonial routes, fortified settlements, and state-sponsored infrastructure consistent with the goals of a diplomatic mission. In contrast, Vambery’s travel as a disguised dervish reveals fragmented paths, shifting authority, and varied local interactions. This comparative analysis contributes to a more nuanced archaeological understanding of historical systems in Central Asia and demonstrates how travel narratives can serve as valuable primary sources for infrastructure studies.