Information Collection and Classification of Ancient Bactrian Camel-Shaped Cultural Relics

Bactrian camels have played a significant role in the history of the Eurasian Steppe and its surrounding regions and their cultural relics embody rich historical and cultural information. This study aims to do comprehensive and systematic research on camel-shaped relics. Through multiple channels—including archaeological excavation reports, museum collections, historical literature and ancient texts, art market and private collections, research articles and scholarly publications, international collaborations and field investigations—we have extensively gathered visual and contextual information on camel-shaped cultural relics to establish a primary database. The relics were classified based on geographical and chronological distribution, material, content and function. The research reveals that these relics are distributed across multiple countries and span from roughly the Paleolithic to the mid-Medieval period. Their materials are diverse, reflecting a wide range of functional purposes, such as transportation, symbols of wealth and power, religious and spiritual significance, artistic subjects and everyday use. This indicates the close relationship between ancient human societies and Bactrian camels, as well as their value across various domains. However, limitations remain in information retrieval and classification still faces several challenges. This research offers a significant reference for the in-depth exploration of the cultural, artistic, economic and religious aspects of Bactrian camels in relics and also points to directions for future research.